Lining up. Matching up.
Stoneware. B-Clay.
Cone 10. Cone Six.
Reduction. Oxidation.
It’s getting kind of exciting…

A little sneak peek into a new box of “kiln candy.” More glaze tests!!!
Can’t wait to dig in & examine them closely. Hoping for a couple winners!!!
From first glance, it looks promising!

So I got my first batch of test tiles back from the cone 10 firing.
I think there are a few really nice results here… and now I can’t wait to see the cone 6 versions. Remember, the glaze recipes are designed for cone 6 – these might just be a “bonus” if the same glaze works well in cone 10 reduction too!!!

And a little bit closer… not a fan of the crazing. Hope that’s gone in cone 6…

Today I mixed up some more glaze tests. Lots of measuring. Lots of chemicals.
Small batches of recipes I’ve collected for cone 6 oxidation firing. I’m hoping that at least a couple of them turn out nice. I’m looking for good translucent colors that pool well, break well and have no crazing.

Just in case, I’m test firing the same glazes at cone 10 reduction to see if they turn into anything cool. Wouldn’t it be great if I got at least one beautiful glaze in cone 6 that ALSO looked different and equally as great at cone 10? Two successful glaze colors from one bucket. Wishful thinking, huh?!!!

Tonight I focused on making more test tiles for some upcoming glaze tests.
Textured with stamps and grooves to “break & pool” the glazes in all the right places.
I made two batches with two different clay bodies… just to see how much difference
the iron content makes!!!

I think I’m going to like the “cleaner-lighter” look of the new glazes on B-Clay.
Just guessing.

I started toying with some new glaze recipes a year ago.
If you recall, I started 2013 with a quest for some new glazes. And look…
here it is 2014 and I’m doing it again…. let’s just say that I kinda lost focus along the way.

So I’m going to try and do a better job this Winter. I need to make some new test tiles with a couple different clay bodies. And then I’m hoping to find a few new cone 6 oxidation glazes that pool well & break well in all of my stamped textures. An added bonus would be if that same glaze recipe also worked in a cone 10 reduction kiln. It would be wonderful to have some new “double-duty” glazes in my studio. Here are a few of the cone 6 glazes I tested during 2013… fewer than I wanted to…

I do believe there are a couple glazes here that are working well at cone 6. I need to do some more testing before I make full batches. And I would love to try a few more recipes to get a few different colors. I think that’s what is drawing me towards cone 6… some brighter colors. That and the fact that I could fill an electric kiln a lot faster & quicker to get a new pop of color into my inventory. Now don’t get me wrong… I love soda-firing. And I don’t expect that to change. I just want to broaden my pottery palette.

Anyone have any suggestions or glaze recipes they would be willing to share?
If you know of a glaze that pools well & breaks well at cone 6, but might be good at cone 10 as well, I’d love to get them. And here’s a deal… if you send me a glaze recipe and I decide to add it into my “repertoire”, I’ll send you a FREE stamped mug glazed in your color!

With my second Holiday Home Show this coming Saturday,
I’ve been getting a few new pieces out of the kiln just in time… limited quantities!
This last batch of glazed pieces comes from a cone 10 reduction gas kiln.
Some of them have some pretty sweet glaze runs & chemical interactions.

You can grab one of these beauties this coming Saturday at my place!
The SECOND Holiday Home Show
Saturday, December 14th from 10:00am-6:00pm.
If you need home address specifics, just send me an e-mail or Facebook message!

A quick glimpse “before & after” a cone 10 reduction glaze firing…
just in time for this Saturday’s Holiday Home Show.

Here’s a stamped platter leatherhard “before”… and glazed “after.”

And here’s a stamped bowl leatherhard “before”… and glazed “after.”

Night two of glazing was quite productive. Things were literally stacking up.

After I added the wadding these pieces went onto my rolling studio cart to make room on the table to glaze even more! Especially since I’m glazing to fill my own soda kiln AND share a cone 10 glaze kiln with two other studio members. Glazing for two different kilns at the same time is a little daunting.

When I finished glazing & wadding the mugs, I moved on to the new pieces. I did the same glaze inlay to help “pop” the stamps. These are the small size… tomorrow I’ll tackle the medium & large ones!