Saggar Lessons Learned...

We had a great workshop at St. Pete Clay this past February.
There were over 15 people there and the results of the saggar firing were as dramatic and varied as ever. This was one of Lee's fabulous results...


I love the new ideas that come out of the experience.
I told someone to 'be careful' copper scrubbies can be very strong and harsh when used on a whole piece. They ignored me (thank goodness!) and WOW... it was one of the most dramatic pots from the fire....


There were actually 2 results, 2 separate people. Maggie's pot...and don't remember who's pot this one was...

Just goes to show....just because I know, doesn't mean it's always true. I've never got such stunning results from so much copper.

More surprises...
we had 3 kilns, 3 different sizes, 3 different burners and they all fired to the same temp, only the results were so different.

1. Our tall stack was started last and fired off first in just 2 hours.


the results were deep, dark colors, but very exciting. The bottom saggar got very hot so the metallics melted on the surface of the pots...


2. The first kiln started was the last to finish... it stalled out at 1700 degrees for a while. I propped the lid with a thin tile shard and it hit temp in 10 minutes! TRICK: if you're stalling out, play with the air; increase air by propping the lid a bit, or drop the lid slightly to adjust...then watch. then adjust again if nothing happens.

Results were completely varied, of course in large part to how each saggar was loaded. Diane wanted soft colors on her highly carved pots...so she put very few organics and minerals in the saggar...and this is what she got...beautiful, delicate fuming.


And Vicky loaded her saggars full of organics and minerals, but bisqued her pieces to 04, so we think that's why she didn't get much color on her highly sculptural vessels. Sometimes the greatest lessons are from what you didn't get!

3. the second kiln to load was the second to fire off - we used a cone only, no pyrometer. And wow... more great results. Mona stacked her pots densly in sawdust, hoping to get a jet black vessel with a silvery line from the wire...and mostly, it worked beautifully:

One of the great things about the workshop is you may only bring 4 to 6 pieces to fire, but we had over 70 pieces fired in 3 saggar kilns and everyone took photos. So your learning experience is exponentially greater than the number of pots you put in the kiln. And each time you take the workshop, you learn more and more!

Our next Polished & Poetic version of Large & Loose takes place in Port Washington, Ohio on May 22 & 23. We already have 4 people signed up...so if you want to join us - fill out the registration form on my website and send $50 to reserve a space. Here's a link to the workshop blog.

Saggars Ready for Workshop

I've made several saggars for the February workshop at St. Pete Clay - as well as a few for myself.
It's been a busy artfair schedule, but some good results. My Duo Dance triptych sold to a wonderful couple in Sarasota...so I have to make another series....



And I'm working on a few other commissions. One from my Tango Two piece and another from my Duo Dance series...


In the meantime, here are some unwaxed and so far, uncleaned results form my last Ohio saggar firing...many of these pots are sold, but they look cool with all the ash still on the surface...


this one sold to a collector in Delray Beach...

more saggar and commission shots soon...
also, my 04 firing gets loaded once my kiln is professionally wired in florida, it's taking longer than I expected....

more soon.

Florida Studio up & running....

My Florida studio is up and running....


Just today I unloaded boxes of tiles made in Ohio - to get fired here....


My electric kiln is wired...
And I'm ready to begin saggar firing at St. Pete Clay...


I'm excited to get in my groove.
More images once I get the kiln loaded next week...

And I'll go over a carved tile mural, start to finish...
a potential commission for a Florida couple...

see you then!

Some Om Tile Results

Just checking in quickly...
I unloaded my cone 04 kiln and got some interesting results.


I have a shot of this one in the green stage a few days ago. The engobes brushed off the carvings got some cool effects. I like it.


Here I used a mongo green engobe which yields lots of nice results. This is pretty good.


And this one has just a copper/gertsley slip on it fired in oxidation. Warm.
Wait til you see my reduction results!

2010 - A Year of New Challenges!

The year has begun and only time will tell what it brings.

2009 sure had its challenges for us all... and for those of us who live off discretionary income, well, it was that much more challenging.


We are all changing, adjusting and shifting with this new way. I'm now in Florida for my 2010 art fair season. I've done some new and exciting work in my new Ohio studio. I'm designing a new line for yoga studios. With that comes my carved OM tiles...


And my OM pots. Om is a 3-syllable chant (a - u - m) done in yoga and it represents the union of body, mind & spirit, which is at the center of yoga practice.

before

after
A collection of OM pots!

As usual, I'm working on my sculptural wall murals.


Now I'm putting engobes on greenware, then pulling, stretching and carving the clay from there.

I'm experimenting with cone 04 oxidation firing - so see what kind of results I get. (more results as I unload kilns)

more later...

A Busy Week

I'm getting ready for my Open Studio sale here in Ohio. Tom and I cleaned out his 200 year old barn & hayloft and we have tons of beautiful work for sale.

I'll put cleaning pictures up soon...

For those of you who can't make the open studio sale on November 7 & 8 - here's another wall mural for sale on my ebay site:



28" x 28" Terra Cotta Diamond.
Bid Now on eBay.

This 28" x 28" Wall Mural is reduced in price from $880. It hangs as a square or a diamond. This piece was fired in my signature Saggar Firing Process. I used grasses on the surface to create the softer lines on the orange tones.

Inside My Studio...

Thanks for checking out my new blog. This is an information and inside look only blog. The idea is to share some of my more personal studio processes with those of you who are following my work. I will show work in various stages and answer any questions you may have. I am also listing my older firepaintings for bid on eBay.


"Sumi Brush"

Ceramic Wall Mural.
This Wall Mural is On Sale Now on Ebay.
click here to bid now

Last week I was working on a commission for a collector in New York. He ordered a 14" saggar fired bottle. Here's a picture of 2 of the 3 I made for him, just as I was burnishing them. They are now drying as I'm getting ready for our Open House here in Ohio.



Many of you know I've moved, here's a glance at my new digs....and Tom peeking in!



Feel free to forward this to anyone you think may be interested and of course you can opt out at any time. I promise I won't talk too much and thanks for your interest!

Brenda