Kiln Opening

Just a quick posting

I unloaded my kiln on Monday, and I have been busy ever since as my degree show is due this Friday and things are more than a little hectic around here so just the one picture right now, hopefully Friday Evening I can settle down to a real post.

Leach Pottery and a Sneak Peek

Well I managed to get the kiln loaded in a single day on Tuesday, it got fired on Wednesday and when I got in on Friday it was still too hot to unload, I did mange to get a sneak peek into the kiln though, it looks like a good firing, but I won't know until I manage to unload everything which is on Monday now.


On another note we had a visiting lecturer for the day, all the way from St Ives. the lecturer in question was Jack Doherty who is lead potter at the restored Leach Pottery in St Ives and is the retired Chairman of the Craft Potters Association here in the UK. So we got to handle pieces from their standard range that they are producing, they are very nice pieces to handle, we also got to handle his personal work. The though the whole lot is soda fired, his work tries to avoid the "orange peel" affects that is the signature of soda firing. His work also has subtle blue colours throughout, as it was explained that he plays about with the slips to resist the soda and alter the colours.

He also did some demonstrations for us in porcelain, showing us the Leach pottery porcelain range of work and also how to make his own, which used 3 piles of clay and then coils. All the work was made on the wheel, though the first stage of his work he beat it into centre with a mallet that belonged to the pottery and with his fists. It gave me some ideas on what to do for some bigger pieces.

I also got to speak to him one on one about my work, as my tutor wanted me to ask about doing a pottery start up down there in St Ives, but it is a little far from anyone I know to help out with the little one. He was definitely an amazing potter to talk to.

Finally the time is here

The time has finally come, today I unloaded the kiln, I underestimated how long this would take me, especially with taking lots of pictures added in to the mix.

The technician had already moved all the pieces that weren't mine from the top shelves which helped speed things up. But I basically emptied the kiln myself apart from the top level, it is really satisfying doing so much for this firing myself.


This is all a large portion of what came out as it was hard to get everything in one shot as there was so much. I had lots of questions as emptied, the most common of which was "what did you do to make the different colours?" Well the blue is Cobalt Carbonate and the red/brown is Iron oxide, the speckles are because of the lack of oxygen in the kiln as it fires.

I had three ruined pots today, two were because of clay/bat wash falling into the bowl such as this above, it has fused with the glaze and the pot itself.


The third pot that was broken had split through the base, I have been told that there wasn't enough compression when I was forming the base, but that bit has already been covered in my latest tuition. For such a large kiln I don't think a failure of 3 pots is so bad at my stage, as I had a firing last year where I lost every pot places in the kiln.

One of my soup bowls and large mugs, this was my favourite large mug from the firing, and I did it after tuition from Kevin Millward, I just need to go back to the wheel and make a good couple of dozen of these so then I have some to choose from for my final show, still need more practice with the handles.


Some of the different size mugs/teacups I have been working on over the last few weeks, still trying to decide which size I want for my farmers market range.


Looking for some concept shots to go on my business cards / on various design sites that I am planning on joining over the next few weeks such as Design Initiatives.


Just trying to create some interesting shapes, colours and tones

These are what the tea light holders look like right now, all grouped together showing that scale that sometimes pots need an object to show scale.
This is my favourite item from the firing, it has just the right blue to green ratio on the cobalt and the textures just seem to have run slightly, it is such an interesting pot up close. I have actually brought it home to show people as an example of my work.


I have a slight oversight on the platters I forgot to take some overall shots of them and I only have detailed shots, so I will get some more photos on Thursday. I do have plenty more photos to upload and talk about later.

Joseph