Another “sneaky-peek” as start to unbrick the soda kiln. It was tough to wait… but I had Summer Campers all day who had to learn how to throw on the wheel (in three hours?) More fun with them tomorrow… but now they’re gone so I’m hoping to unload before I teach again tonight!!! Fingers crossed… so far so good!!!

Top row of bricks removed… let the cooling begin!!!

A couple hours into the firing this morning, you could start to see some of the “color” inside the kiln. It takes a long time for it to start really heating up… think about all of the pots, shelves & bricks that need to absorb the heat too!!! At certain intervals, you need to adjust the kiln in terms of air & gas ratios. This glowing moment is when I put the kiln into “body reduction” by throwing the balance out of whack with not enough air for a good stable flame. The flames need to seek out air anywhere they can… through the bricks, or more importantly from the porousness of the pots inside… thus sealing them up solid & vitrified!

It was a LATE night… but I finally got the soda kiln loaded & the front door all bricked up last night. Put to bed for the night… and then I got to do the same for myself for a couple hours before returning early this morning to get the firing started. No rest for the weary!!!

After a couple hours of “pottery Tetris” last night… I finally had the soda kiln stacked & loaded with a LOT of pottery. Luckily, I had “over-glazed” in my studio so I had a few extras pieces to choose from that didn’t quite make it into this kiln… so they just will have to wait until my next soda firing. Oh well… I think there will be “plenty of pots” for my next couple art fairs!

The empty soda kiln is always enticing… excited about the possibilities & potential of the pots you’re about to load into it. And yet somewhat daunting when you think of all the pots, shelves & posts that need to be carefully stacked & loaded before you can call it done. A late night guaranteed.

I realized it’s been awhile since I’ve shown off a loaded bisque kiln. So here’s the one I just loaded tonight… with more MUGS than I thought I had made?! I sort of love when you can get everything in… even if you need to turn things on their side to fit them “just-under” the lid!!!

Layer One –

Layer Two –

Layer Three –

Layer Four –

Layer Four just “under-the-lid”…
with some oval vases turned on their sides so they would fit in!

Kicking off the morning with my favorite four letters!!!
Fresh new pots cooling for this weekend’s art fair in Schaumburg!!!

Great old kiln hidden in the woods. Moss covered, rusted through & seemingly unused for years at the Matt Krousey stop of the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour. My guess is that’s it’s still a leftover from the Bob Briscoe days there?!