Journey Oct 21 - Nov 9th

We had to postpone our gas firing for a week as there was not enough for a kiln load. It seemed to be a rather poor firing - colours a bit muddy. Could have been too much reduction - maybe our oxyprobe is not working that well or it could just have been the loading. However after having all these fishing woman pots sitting around the house I realize that they really are not a very attractive form. Will try and work on that.

I had double bisqued the stoneware pots that were to be ash glazed hoping that it would eliminate some of the blistering. It seemed to have helped though in most cases the ash glaze was a bit too thin so blisters would not have formed anyway.
The fishing woman again ended up badly glazed - not the right thickness in the right spots, though the back again was great. When will I learn - the plain back with the runny ash glazes looks great. The front with all the details is just too much with those glazes. I think I will have too try another glaze on those appliqued pots.
The stony yellow glaze that I got from Steven looked not too bad on stoneware once I had reduced the iron. So will perhaps try that glaze on with those pots. An overspray with Rhodes 32 and .8% manganese did some running and crystal formation so that looks promising.

On Friday several members of our Guild did a workshop at the Golden Lake Algonquians Reserve. We had about 15 participants - both adult and children and we showed them how to make coiled pots. They are trying to set up a cultural centre and bring back some of the traditional crafts. They had a kiln donated to them and we so will be back after Christmas and help them set it all up as well as fire it.
After Steven's consult I have tried to make the fish stamped handles more loose - so tried small dishes with cut edges and then wrapped the two ends with a stamped slab. Now not sure how to glaze them as these were done on procelain. I also made a porcelain knife to go with the dish - will be a challenge to glaze it.
I also stamped rims directly and then impressed a couple of lines, pinching and twisting the rim at the tail end to give the fish movement. I liked that effect best. Will see how it ends up glazed.