How I Do It, Part 2

Remember a long time ago I posted a series of pictures showing how I make a Breast Bowl?    The beautiful bowl sat unfired  for a long time until

  I created enough of my tiny Love Charms to fill my tiny electric kiln.

Then I fired the bowl to a temperature of 2345 degrees F (cone 10). The fired Porcelain bowl sat for a few months longer while I worked on other projects, made special work for a show, completed the commissions. Finally yesterday was the day:

I brushed a Cone 5 glossy clear glaze onto the fired bowl, arranged some glass shards on the surface.

I loaded the top shelf of the kiln with some other pieces ready to finish and a couple of tests, and fired to Cone 6. (The dark areas on the shelf are left over from my PMC firing. I'll tell you more about that another time.)

Here is the kiln opened after firing. I typically overfire my glazes and glass because I like the luscious flow of the glaze and glass together on the surface when they sit with the heat for a little extra time. I discovered this by accident when I made a mistake in programming my kiln firing. I have done many experiments with firing times and temperatures. That mistake turned out to be a shortcut to the effects I want.

Is there a metaphor for life here?
Give thanks for our mistakes. They may be shortcuts to what we really want.

Here is the close up of the finished Breast Bowl. I am very pleased with this sculpture.

Comments

[Paula]

Fascinated by your "how to" descriptions, especially the sensory experiences. Just beginning to work with clay and finding it oddly therapeutic. I'm a writer and decided I needed a sensory outlet because I was getting too word bound. Pretty high-falutin' talk for some stump jumper gal from Tennessee!

[Carla Sanders]

Hi Paula,

I never noticed your comment till I was doing blog housekeeping today. Thanks! I hope you got your hands into clay.

[Tracy]

That turned out beautiful Carla!

Namaste,

Tracy