Susan's Kiln

Tacoma Community College,

2011-06-02T21:52:00.001-07:00

Back in the Studio

2010-12-29T22:13:00.000-08:00

I love, love, love having my family home for the holidays. But now that they have returned to their busy lives in distant states, I'm back at work in my studio. I'm still experimenting with lidded vessels - and the more non-round the better.

Here are some quick snapshots of pieces that are drying and should be ready to bisque fire in a week or so.

A Set of Six

2010-12-11T14:37:00.001-08:00

I'm not good at making a series of matching pieces mostly because I don't do it often enough to develop that skill. So when I wanted a set of six bowls I figured I had better make some extras "just in case" and I'm glad I did. I threw nine bowls and printed the design on each while they were still moist. But I lost one bowl while trimming the extra clay from the bottom. (You can see it at the bottom of the photo.)

They were all bisque fired without incident but while spraying the glaze I knocked a bowl on its side which cracked the side. So there were seven bowls left to fire in the gas kiln. But upon unloading another bowl had a mysterious crack - perhaps from mishandling on my part?- and had to be thrown in the trash.

So nine minus three is six. The second picture shows the survivors.

December 3rd Firing

2010-12-06T22:19:00.000-08:00

With pottery, all pieces must go through the "final trial by fire". Weeks, sometimes months, of work on the wheel - throwing, trimming and altering - can be undone in the course of a few hours if the firing goes wrong.

This firing started out poorly because after keeping the gas on low over night, I discovered the next morning that one of the cone packs had popped some shards down into the pots below where they would have melted into the glaze. I stopped the firing, waited a day to open and clean out the shards and gave it another try two days later.

Here are some of the pots from that firing. I went heavy on the Antique Green glaze, a favorite of mine, because it breaks so nicely over texture. I also mixed up two new green glazes which turned out hideously. I'm going to try applying them differently during the next firing but if they are still yucky, they are going to get pitched.

I uploaded more photos from this firing to my Flickr account; a link is above.

Tacoma's Open Studio Tour

2010-11-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

Tacoma does a wonderful job supporting artists and the Open Studio Tour during Art at Work Month is a good example. I had a nice time visiting with folks who dropped by in groups of twos and threes and the tour forced me to clean up the studio - a long overdue task. I hope to participate in this event next year.

Here are some before and after photos.

The First Holiday Bazaar of the Season

2010-11-03T14:23:00.000-07:00

For years a group of diverse crafters have have been holding a bazaar in the old Grange outside Gig Harbor, WA. This year will have some of the items shoppers have grown to expect as well as some exciting merchandise from new vendors.

The Grange is located on Wollochet and Artondale Drives (use caution because of road construction) and will be open November 4th through 6th from 9am to 5pm. On Sunday, November 7th the hours are 11am to 4pm.

Here are some photos taken during setup earlier today.

My Time is Almost Over

2010-10-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

My time at the Pottery Annex (913 Pacific Avenue here in Tacoma) is almost over because the three month lease I was given ends Friday, October 15th. It is one of those situations when you look around and ask, "Where did the time go?"

It has been a positive experience with a few minor exceptions. I enjoyed the bustle of street life, the pedestrians who randomly dropped by and the routine of keeping regular hours. Gracie loved being a shop dog and would supervise the sidewalk activity while graciously accepting attention from passersby.

The down side, aside from transporting of clay, tools and pots between my home studio and the shop, was parking. Every day it was an issue that had to be considered.

Spaceworks is a wonderful program and I'm lucky to have had this opportunity to "play store". The next group to use the space will be Shakespeare in the Parking Lot.

Here are some photos from the store before I start packing up on October 15th.

September 28th Firing

2010-10-03T17:14:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pots from last Tuesday's firing. As I look over the photos, I see that my favorite glaze this time around was Antique Green. I'm quite fond of the oval box and large square casserole. The mugs with feet are cute but may be a bit small for big coffee drinkers.

I decided to glaze the urn with the problem lid (see August 26th post) with Antique Green because it breaks nicely over texture however, I'm not sure the black glaze on the feet was a good choice. I'm still thinking about that.

Use the Flickr link on the right to see more pieces from Tuesday's firing

Rain, Rain

2010-09-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

Tacoma had train loads of rain over the weekend and some of it found its way into the shop. When I arrived Monday I discovered a puddle that covered a third of the floor area and a soaked ceiling tile that had fallen on some pots. The most surprising thing was the amount of water that was inside two of my casseroles. They must have sat for an extended time under a steady drizzle because when I lifted the lids I discovered both were filled to the brim with water, about four quarts each. Obviously, this old building was built only for gentle sprinkles and not gully washers.

Everything is back in order today except the soggy rug is home being dried out.

September Schedule for the Pottery Annex

2010-08-31T12:50:00.000-07:00

The shop will close early at 3:30 on Thursday, September 23rd. On Monday, September 27th I will be firing the gas kiln so the shop will be closed on that day as well.

During the rest of the month it will be open as usual: Monday - Friday, 1:00 to 5:00. (On Mondays and Fridays I often linger until 6pm so if you are downtown you can still stop by then.)

The Problem Lid

2010-08-26T21:50:00.000-07:00

On occasion I have a problem getting a lid to match a pot but this urn was particularly difficult and I'm not sure why. It might be because the shoulders of the urn are high on the body and curve without any neck into the opening . But whatever the reason I made three lids before being (only partly) satisfied. The first lid had no lift and made the urn look like it had been chopped at the forehead. The second lid had too much lift and not enough of a rim, like a bowler hat. And it didn't follow the lines of the urn. Lid number three, though the best of the lot, still is just so-so though I do like the added texture. Lugs on the side and feet cut into the foot ring add more interest. With a good glazing job, it just might turn out to be a "keeper" after all.

Discombobulation at Home

2010-08-19T15:31:00.000-07:00

The house is in total disarray in preparation for tomorrow and Saturday's pottery sale. The dining room is filled with shelving and extra shelves are squeezed into any available space. The backyard has more shelves and tables for overflow, old stock and seconds. And this is just my work. Later today the other potters arrive with their work. It will be a full house and I predict our best sale yet.

The hours are 10-6 Friday and 10-4 Saturday.

Pottery Sale

2010-08-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

This will be our fourth year for the Pottery Sale and we look forward to an even bigger and better sale than ever. Two new potters will be joining us with work that will add to and compliment the selection of pottery offered by returning members.

I'm busy glazing casseroles, two dozen mugs and miscellaneous other pieces for a firing this Saturday. And in my head I'm moving furniture to make way for shelving that will accommodate the pottery. And our ever popular of older stock and not-quite-perfect pieces will be on tables set up in the back.

Friday, August 20th - 10am - 6pm

Saturday, August 21 - 10am - 4pm

The Pottery Annex - Hours for August

2010-07-31T20:47:00.000-07:00

Because I'm participating in two August shows, I will be packing up my pottery and shelves ahead of time in preparation for those weekend events. There are two days this month when the shop will not be open and one day when it will close early.

The Pottery Annex

913 Pacific Ave, Tacoma

Normal hours are Monday-Friday, 1-5PM

But the shop will be closed:

Thursday & Friday, August 19th and 20th

and

The shop closes at 3PM, Monday, August 30th

Here is some cleaning that took place today under the watchful eyes of Gracie.

The Beloved (Rattletrap) Camper Van

2010-07-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

Love is when you can look past the faults of the beloved to see the good qualities. And that is why I'm still driving our 1984 VW camper. It has a cracked windshield, was attacked by someone with a BB gun, knobs have fallen off long ago and the heater never turns off to name a few flaws. But it runs well despite its advanced age and it can carry lots and lots of pottery and pottery related paraphernalia - more than a pickup truck I think.

Here are some things our workhorse has transported this week.

Trying Something New

2010-07-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

I am participating in the Spaceworks program in Tacoma which pairs artists with vacant downtown spaces. The idea is to use empty storefronts to create activity in town during this economic downturn.

www.tacomaculture.org/arts/resource/Spaceworks%20Tacoma/Default.htm

For about three months I will be located at 913 Pacific Ave in a former salon/spa. It is a good location and even though I will be using only a small part of the space, there is a lot of work to do inside. I will have pots for sale and can work on my wheel though I will need to haul dried pieces back home for glazing and firing.

Here are some photos of the future Pottery Annex.

True Antiques

2010-07-07T07:05:00.000-07:00

While in Istanbul last week I visited the Archeological Museum and was thrilled to find a room full of pottery from 200-300 BC. The pieces must have been made for functionality but I thought they were also lovely to look at. Here are a few photos that I took through the display case windows.

Recycling

2010-06-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

I know numerous potters who don't recycle their clay scraps and just throw them away. Some of them trim away only a modest amount so their shavings are small. Perhaps it is the way I throw but I have lots of leftover scraps and I hate to throw away clay that can be reconstituted and used again. It is like having free clay. And I like free.

The scraps must be completely dry before they will reabsorb water. Then water is added and after it is nice and mushy it is dried in handfuls on a plaster board. Once it is the right consistency it is wedged and ready to be thrown. I usually make smaller items with recycled clay such as mugs.

Waiting to be Bisque Fired

2010-05-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

Finally I'm making handles that I like and that has spurred me on to making lots of lidded casseroles. These are a few pots that are slowly drying before being bisque fired. Drying needs to be slow and even because of the tension where the slab bottom joins the walls. These guys will rest under plastic for another week before going into the electric kiln.

The last photo is of a pot I particularly like.

Oh Joy

2010-05-08T21:30:00.001-07:00

It was a beautiful day today and my helpful husband brought the wheel up from the basement of our Anderson Island cabin so I could throw on the deck. It is so lovely to sit in the sun (a real treat in the Pacific Northwest) and throw pots. The violet green swallows were circling above ridding us of unwanted insects and the kingfisher couple chattered as they darted about. I didn't see any eagles but there are some on the island.

After throwing, the pots are set on the railing but I must be careful to not let the breeze and sun dry them out unevenly or too quickly.

Good news - the forecast for Sunday is also for sunny weather.

Bisque Firing Nirvana

2010-05-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of pots on the bottom shelf in last week's bisque firing.

Once upon a time, far, far away in the land of Drudgery, I used to bisque fire in the gas kiln. It has two small burners that allowed that risky practice but it meant checking the kiln frequently (usually every half hour) to make sure the temperature stayed around 200F. I was always turning the burners up or down, cracking the door wider or closing it tighter and finding that I would often overshoot my goal by heating or cooling too rapidly. One time I lost five pots.

Then along came a used Skutt kiln with an electronic kiln master and life has been bliss ever since. (At least on the bisque firing front.) I push a few buttons, check the kiln's progress a couple times and be sure to hang around when it is time for it to shut off. I love electricity and electronics!

April 27th Firing

2010-04-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

I unloaded last Tuesday's firing and found a few good pieces and a couple losers. Unlike the last firing, which was slightly under fired, I made sure to reach a solid cone 10 temperature before turning off the gas and heading to bed. This longer firing didn't suit one of my green glazes and I had three pots who's glaze melted onto the shelf and will require some grinding to remove the remnants.

The Supervisor

2010-04-20T22:54:00.000-07:00

I have noticed from reading other potters' blogs that they enjoy the company of pets, usually cats, in the studio and I am no exception. Our Bob does not like to be petted, picked up or do lap duty but he does enjoy keeping an eye on the activity in the house, yard and studio.

Here are some photos of our Bob-cat performing his watch.

Casseroles, Casseroles, Casseroles!

2010-04-15T09:22:00.001-07:00

Casseroles (and serving dishes) are about the only thing I want to make these days. And thanks to my slab roller - bought off Craig's List - I can make non-round pieces.

First, a well wedged piece of clay is cubed and tossed onto the table until is it flat enough to go through the rollers.

I have found that the slabs of clay need to shrink and firm up before being attached to the bottomless sides to keep them from separating later in the process.

In the third photo you can see where my fingers pushed against the sides as I rolled the texturizing cylinder around the outside.

When the slab is ready, bring out the Magic Water. (What a wonderful name for water with some sodium silicate to aid in adhesion. It is a recipe from Lana Wilson I got from a pottery magazine. It works like magic!)

Score and slip (photo 4) then add a coil to reinforce the joint. In the 5th photo I haven't smoothed out the coil. Again, apply liberal amounts of Magic Water.

After a period of rest another slab is draped over the top and coaxed into a domed shape. After it is very firm a surform is used to gently shape the edges so they fit in the galley of the piece.

The photos at the top are pieces slowly drying and getting ready for a bisque firing. I'm anxious to see how they turn out but it will be several

more weeks before they can be glazed and fired in the big gas kiln.

Patience, Patience.

Anderson Island Gift Shop is Open

2010-04-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

Anderson Island is situated in south Puget Sound and, like other islands in the area, has it's own special history. The Anderson Island Historical Society was formed to preserve this history and part of their mission is to operate the gift shop in an old chicken coop that was part of the Johnson Farm. (For more information about the farm see http://andersonislandhs.org/)

This Saturday the gift shop will be opened after it's usual winter break and I will again have some of my pottery for sale. I have several baking/serving pieces that are new as well as some bowls and mugs. For such a small shop there is a wide variety of merchandise at all price points. If you are on the island during a weekend, stop by for a visit. The shop is open 12pm to 4pm Saturdays and Sundays.

Here is some of my work.

Bottoms Up

2010-03-25T21:03:00.000-07:00

Well, bottoms are not up but they are on the pieces I threw last weekend. I also have attached lug handles on all the casseroles and for the three pieces with a galley rim, I have started working on a slab lid - a process I'm not very skilled at yet.

The white powder on some of the pieces is cornstarch which keeps the damp lid from sticking to the pot while being worked on.

The one urn from the weekend is progressing nicely though I need to cut the foot rim so it has "feet". Notice that the rectangular dish next to it hasn't had its bottom slab shaved to fit the walls.

A Productive Weekend

2010-03-22T21:19:00.000-07:00

Our weekend house on Anderson Island has a potters' wheel in the basement and nothing else in the way of pottery equipment. Water must be brought downstairs and after throwing for a few hours, the resulting slurry is pitched outside to avoid clogging the plumbing.

But the advantage of working in the basement (huddled close to the wood burning stove) is that there are few distractions and I get lots of throwing done. This weekend was no exception.

At the end of the weekend I leave the wet pieces attached to bats and remarkably they make it back to town without incident in the back of our old VW camper. Except for the mugs and one urn, everything I threw this Saturday was without a bottom. I'm still enjoying the process of making altered casseroles.

The other photo shows a couple pieces after the sides have been decorated with texture and the walls moved into oval or rectangular shapes. The next step will be to attach a slab bottom once the clay is more firm.

Ovals

2010-03-18T18:37:00.001-07:00

For the first time since November, I have gotten around to firing my gas kiln. With the winter holidays, company and entertaining, pottery making took a backseat to the pleasures of the season.

But now it is back to the pleasures of clay. I have been having fun making pots that have been altered into ovals. I throw the sides without a bottom and then once the clay is somewhat firm, it is manipulated into another shape. Add a slab of clay for the bottom, some lugs for handles and, voila!, a casserole.

Here is some recent work in different stages. The dish with the leaf stamp is waiting to be glaze fired, the large casserole with lid is drying and the other photos are of finished pieces.

Square Bowls

2010-01-30T22:12:00.000-08:00

For several months now, I have enjoyed reading the posts of Nona Kelhofer in her blog "Spinning Madly On". I don't know how I stumbled upon her site but it must have been when I curiously clicked on a link in another potter's blog. Her posting about a workshop she attended and the philosophy of Wabi Sabi, was a breath of fresh air for me during a time when I was being hyper-critical of my work.

But the post of August 2009 where she described and photographed her method of making a square, hand built bowl got me off my pottery wheel and started me playing with ways to make pots using the slab roller I had recently purchased. Even though I started with her directions, the final results were very different which is the beauty of hand crafted work - the same process produces very different results in the hands of another person.

Here are the results of my work. Check out her blog of August 2009 and see the process and read her other postings.

Urns

2009-12-08T10:04:00.000-08:00

Though their passing is not eminent (thankfully!) my brother and his wife have asked me to make funerary urns for both of them. This request has started me thinking about the size and shape and function of an urn and as a result I have made several pieces exploring this issue.

I have discovered that I perpetually underestimate the shrinkage that happens when clay dries and is fired. Even though I know to account for this 10-12% change in size, I continually underestimate the amount of clay needed. And as a result some of the urns should really be called "jars".

Because I'm very interested in texture, all of my jar/urns have some type of impressed design on them.

Summer Workshop with Vince Pitelka

2009-10-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

This summer I attended a wonderful workshop given by Vince Pitelka. For a week we learned how to add colorants to clay and create "loaves" of different patterns with various colors. The colored clay usually was layered into different colors, then sliced and rearranged to make patterns. In this photo Vince is demonstrating how to make a basket weave loaf.

It was a particularly hot time in the Pacific Northwest with temperatures approaching 100 degrees and from this photo of Vince you can see that we were very warm inside the barn where we

met.

Vince, by the way, was a wonderful workshop presenter with lots of patience for those of us who kept slicing our clay in the wrong direction.

Here are a couple of photos of my first attempt at using the colored clay loaves made during the workshop. They have yet to be glaze fired so there is still room for failure - but I'm hopeful.

Lynnwood's 50th Celebration

2009-09-01T21:57:00.000-07:00

The city of Lynnwood, located north of Seattle, is celebrating its 50th year as a city and asked for submissions for a show to commemorate the date. I'm pleased that my "Birthday Cake" made of clay and acrylic paint will be displayed with other artists' work.

The show, which runs from September 28th to November 12 with a reception October 3rd at 11 am, will be located at the Lynnwood Library on 44th Ave West.

On another topic, the sale at D Street was a splendid success. We had numerous folks drop by to visit and purchase pottery. Our seconds/old stock table in the backyard was very popular. The sale was so pleasant and profitable that we are already looking forward to our 4th annual sale in 2010.

Candleholders for a Wedding

2009-08-06T22:57:00.000-07:00

Our younger daughter is getting married this fall and I volunteered to make votive candleholders for each of the approximately 120 guests.

Surprisingly this has been a fun opportunity to revisit some old glazes and try out new glaze combinations on different clays.

I rummaged around in the buckets of test glazes from two years ago and found one particular glaze that may become my new favorite.

The first photo is of a batch of holders drying before the bisque firing. The next two pictures are of a few of the finished pots. My new favorite glaze in on the left of the last photo.

Island in the Sound

2009-07-21T23:03:00.000-07:00

Anderson Island in south Puget Sound is a small, quiet place reached by a 52 car ferry. Its history has been loving recorded by Hazel Heckman in her charming book "Island in the Sound" and in keeping with preserving the history of the island, the Anderson Island Historical Society maintains the old Johnson Farm and runs the Gift Shop to help support their efforts.

The Gift Shop, kept going by dedicated volunteers, is located in a former chicken coop and carries an eclectic selection of merchandise which includes consignments from the islanders, typical gift shop fare and handmade crafts. I feel pleased that some of my pottery is among the handmade items that can be found in the shop.

The Gift Shop is generally open Saturdays and Sundays, April to mid December.

Bowl Swap

2009-06-12T20:18:00.000-07:00

As a member of the Etsy Mud Team (susanskiln.etsy.com) I participated in a bowl swap organized by the team and my swap partner in North Carolina mailed me this bowl. The bowl is unique in several ways. Barry Lockman, the potter, digs and processes his own clay and most of his glazes. And another, daring, thing he does is single fire his pottery. Instead of bisque firing the dried pieces and then applying glaze, he glazes his pots when they are in the leather hard stage. This is risky because if the temperature rises too quickly in the kiln during the firing, the water in the clay turns to steam and breaks the pot.

Barry's Etsy shop can be found at: lockmanpottery.etsy.com

This is the pot I sent Barry.

Crystalline Firing Results

2009-06-04T21:09:00.000-07:00

I love my kiln, it performed perfectly but I'm not getting the results I want. Some pots grew crystals, a little wimpy perhaps but crystals just the same, while others were covered with out-gassing pin holes. At least that is what I'm calling them. And they seem to be most prevalent in the copper carbonate green glaze. I think I will try a different firing schedule next try.

I Love My New Kiln

2009-05-16T22:21:00.000-07:00

I love my new kiln. At least, I'm ready to fall in love with it, though time will tell whether it's true love or not.

After attending a crystalline glaze workshop I decided to try that specialized way of firing pottery. However, it requires a kiln that is super insulated and can shoot up to high temperatures and stay there for hours while the zinc crystals grow in the glaze. So after numerous emails full of advice from the workshop presenter, I settled on a double-insulated kiln with an element in the floor from Bailey Pottery in New York state.

I ordered the kiln in September. It was assembled, shipped cross country and arrived, after being "lost" by the freight company, in November. And in the garage it sat and sat because it would not fit through the door into the studio without being disassembled. Yikes! All that expensive electronic stuff had to be disconnected before the kiln could come apart. I was in over my head.

I mentioned my dilemma to a friend and she thought her husband would be willing to help me and sure enough, Jules came to the rescue. It took several hours in the cold garage, carefully reading the (not always clear) directions and finally it was disassembled, moved, and reassembled. Without Jules' help, the kiln would still be in the garage.

It took me several more weeks to hook up the exhaust fan and run the ducting out of the basement under a crawl space, but finally - ta da! - the kiln was ready to fire.

Unfortunately, the first firing was a disappointment because of operator error (that would be me) when I programed the kiln incorrectly and it shut off before the crystals could grow.

But right now I can hear the relay switches click on and off as the kiln works its way up to the target temperature. I'm feeling hopeful that at this second firing I will have my long-awaited crystals.

Clay Club Pottery Sale

2009-05-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

Twice a year the Clay Club of Tacoma Community College has a sale that raises funds for the potters, the club and art scholarships. This year our sale took place during a Feminist focused art show (as you may be able see from the large work on the back wall) which added interesting color and themes to the sale. Through the years we have been able to establish an extensive mailing list and have folks, who we deeply appreciate, who return sale after sale to see our work.

Above are some of the lidded jars I had for sale.

The other photo is work by Jill Rohrbaugh, a Clay Club member.

Our next sale will be a couple weeks before the winter break at TCC and we have found that some people like to buy handcrafted pottery for their gift giving.

Arfs & Craft Benefit Event

2009-04-13T18:55:00.000-07:00

The Art Stop Gallery in Tacoma, WA is having their 13th annual benefit auction which supports the Prison Pet Partnership and the Assistance Dog Club of Puget Sound. Potters make dishes for pets which are auctioned over a period of three days.

This is the plate I donated. It has a white glaze that is over-sprayed with blue glaze. A stencil I made creates the cat design.

Arfs & Craft opens Thursday evening, April 16th, during Art Walk and the silent auction continues until Saturday, April 18th. Stop by and look over all the original work made just for our four legged friends.

The Art Stop

940 Broadway

Tacoma, WA

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2009-04-10T23:23:00.000-07:00

Out of the last firing (see the former entry) there were numerous pieces that turned out well enough that I was pleased with them. Unfortunately, there were a few pieces that were on the ugly side and one piece in particular that was bad, bad and bad!

Here are a couple pots that fall in the Good column.

Here are two for the Ugly column.

And here is a pot that is going make me get out the grinder. I used a glaze (a fake ash glaze that isn't "fake" in that it contains actual ash as part of the ingredients) which runs off pots made with smoother clays. This was a fact that I had forgotten and now the Bad pot is affixed onto the kiln shelf. You can see how the glaze has pooled at the base of the urn.

Alas, the Bad. Get out the electric grinder, respirator and eye protecting goggles and hope the shelf isn't ruined.

Baked Clay

2009-04-02T22:49:00.000-07:00

The firing was finished at midnight when the number cone 10 "dropped" and the kiln was turned off. This photo shows the glow that is created towards the end of the firing when the temperature is around 2300 degrees F.

After letting the kiln cool slowly all day - the results.

Loaded and Ready to Fire

2009-03-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

I just finished glazing and loading the kiln yesterday and will fire it tomorrow when it can have all my attention since it doesn't have any electronic controls and must be checked every hour. During the first few hours of firing the damper is kept completely open and the temperature rises quickly. But after several hours when the 08 cone melts (about 1730F), the damper is slid almost shut and reduction begins. From this point on the temperature increase is much slower (the fire is being starved for oxygen) and care must be taken that the kiln does not stall.

Except for needing cone packs, the kiln is ready to fire.

Starting to Glaze

2009-03-18T08:21:00.000-07:00

It is time to start glazing the ware from the last two bisque firings but so far I have made limited progress. I don't yet have a spray booth set up in the studio so I must wait for dry and warmer weather when I can use the compressor and spray gun outside.

This is what I have accomplished so far.

The pieces, mostly jars, have been wiped with a damp sponge to remove the clay dust and then the glaze poured inside, swished around for an even coating and then poured back into the bucket.

This glaze is the celadon that I often use inside bowls and jars because it is food safe and a lovely celery green color. The chemistry of glazing is interesting - this pink colored unfired glaze will become green after a reduction firing.