I know I was “inside” all day yesterday…
but it seems like the ivy in my backyard may have changed colors overnight?! I’m sure it was green the last time I saw it. Still a nice contrast to my backyard totem pole.

I’m not ready for Fall. Bring back Summer!!!

After a full day of being “trapped” inside yesterday while firing my soda kiln, it felt GREAT to be back outside this morning. Crisp & clear… with long sleeves on! I’m usually enjoying a nice SUNrise in the morning. But today we still had a clear view of the MOON too!

Not the most exciting of sunrises… but still the best way to start my day!!!
And still not too shabby.

With “Art In The Barn” just a week away, I’m working extra hard to make plenty of new work. So while I’m firing a soda kiln full of new work, I decided to glaze & load another kiln. Why not do two kilns at the same time?!!! I’m stuck in the studio all day firing… why not tackle another project?! I had already cleaned my studio… so more is more. And the more I have in Barrington next weekend, the more I can sell right?

My past couple Cone 6 firings have had mixed results. More pinholing & shivering that I would like. I was hoping that Cone 6 would be an easy firing with quick, colorful results. Not so far… still trying to find the right solution. So this time, I’ve added pyrometric cones top & bottom to double-check that the kiln is reaching temperature evenly. I’ve also put on a much thinner “sprayed” layer of glaze on most of the pieces. And one dipped to see if that makes a difference. Fingers crossed that something turns out okay. And that we might find some “answers” along the way!

Kiln Layer #1 – spoon rests, tiles… and a serving bowl that I’m re-firing!

Kiln Layer #2 – two bowls, mugs and more tiles.

Kiln Layer #3 – two more bowls, spoon rests , mugs & tiles.

Kiln Layer #4 – bowls, tiles and more of my “Relic Rattles.”

Kiln Layer #5 – textured fortune cookies.. and two tiles that didn’t fit on the layer below!

My soda firing today has been a little crazy.
Everything seemed to be firing fine. Heat, color, flames, cones, reduction, etc.
Everything seemed fine… going smooth… almost.

When I started the kiln this morning, the top temperature was a lot hotter then the bottom temperature. Which is normal. Heat rises. I get it. We use a pyrometer with two temperature probes to check the internal temperature, in addition to the tradition pyrometric cones. According to the pyrometer, my temperature difference was over five hundred degrees. Not too concerning at the beginning.

But as my firing went on, the temperature difference didn’t change much. Usually the temperature levels out as the firing goes on. A simple firing, temps balancing out from top to bottom. But not today.

At least halfway through the firing, my temperature difference was up to 600-degrees difference between top & bottom. Crazy, right?! How can it be that much difference? Things looked fine. The color. The flames. The cones. And yet the pyrometer was still telling me there was a problem. So the anxiety started to creep in and you start considering all of the options.

I started making adjustments to the kiln. Reduce the gas. Push in the damper. Watch for results. Hoping the temp gap would change. Nope. Open the damper. Raise the gas. Wait for something to change. Into reduction. Out of reduction. Just trying anything & everything to make something happen. But the temperature difference didn’t change much. Like five to ten degrees… no the HUNDREDS of degrees I needed it to be!!!

After some more creative problem solving, I was ready to try anything. We turned the pyrometer on & off. We switched the temperature probes. And finally I ran upstairs to get the other pyrometer from the studio kiln room. I attached it to my probes in my kiln and suddenly my temperature difference was like 55-degrees!!! NOT six hundred degrees like the old pyrometer was telling me.

Huge sigh of relief.
By this time I was 3/4 of the way into my firing. Logically I kinda knew that the firing was okay. Nothing seemed off in the firing. If the kiln was indeed 600 hundred degrees cooler on the bottom, I’m sure you would be able to see the difference in flames & color. But still, it felt so much better now knowing that temp was back in an “acceptable” range.

And now back to the firing…
It’s getting close to the end. Cone eight is down. Cone nine is starting to bend.
Time to start adding my soda mixture into the kiln. Get the gloves… get the angle iron…
time to play with the flames!!!

Towards the end of my soda firing, the flames are finding their way out.
Whether it’s through the front peeps, or through the cracks in the door and the arch.
Always fun to play with fire. Now who’s got the marshmallows???

After a rickety ride downstairs in the freight elevator, my studio cart made it to the kiln room. With a few masking tape “seat belts” none of my pots were bounced off the cart.

So then it’s time to start loading the soda kiln. But first, a look inside…
And the beautiful, drippy layers of residual soda build-up glazing the kiln bricks.
After many classroom firings, the back wall of the kiln is GORGEOUS!!!

Pretty, huh???
Okay, back to me. And my soda kiln loading.
First, the back stack, a single shelf deep…

And now the front stack, two shelves together…

Then it’s closed up brick by brick by brick… and I turn the burners on for about 20 minutes Long enough for me to clean up my mess, take the cart back upstairs, grab my things and get ready to go. A little “candle” heat into the kiln to dry things out overnight.

After the quick warm-up, my kiln is all loaded, turned off and closed up for the night.
Tomorrow we start again with an early morning…

It’s been a very productive day in the studio.
Just getting my glaze on!!!

So I’ve been glazing, cleaning, and wadding getting everything ready for loading.
Luckily, my studio rolling cart is pretty much the same size as the soda kiln. I know that when the cart is filled with glazed pots, I’m pretty much done.

Low-flying clouds with layers of colored contrails.
And some choppy water to keep it interesting.

My eyes are getting a little glazed over.
Tired and still working. Lots of painting. Lots of wiping.
My second bisque was finally cool enough to unload, so now I have even MORE pieces that need to be glazed & wadded. A lot of work to get done before I start loading tomorrow night. I’ve still got a long way to go!!!

This morning was dark.
More than half of my ride was in darkness.
Eventually a little glow of color. Finally enough to SEE my bike!!!

Soon enough I was so I was at the end of my ride. Waiting. All the way back to the furthest north beach along the bike trail. Waiting for the sun to make it over the horizon. And it finally did… as the waves were rolling in and the beach grasses were waving in the breeze.