Kiln firing; fire gud

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Apprentice_GM said:
AP, that is just terrific! Thanks for the pics and info, amazing.

What's the controlled cool down process? How long does it take? How do you do it?

How useful are novice helpers during the burn phase - like can anyone follow instructions whilst you sleep, or do you need to be awake and controlling the whole thing, or at least at the important stages?

That octopot is very cool. Congrats on some great pottery there!

Lots and lots of wood firing in Australia- poke around a bit with google etc.- Potters on average are a gregarious lot, and they always cook and eat well.
 
I haven't- I'm in the NH potter's guild, which is pretty active an offers a lot of access to workshops though. They're also well connected to the Nh school of Art , which has a great ceramics program (one of the hippies is in the John Baymore kiln building class)

I pointed Apprentice to www.sidestoke.com - one of my alltime favorite pottery sites (I like the clickable map)... after www.potters.org of course. They have like B&B;'s at potteries down there- I'd love to do that.
 
Good pots at Akar Gallery on line (don't know URL). Studio Potter the best mag.....
 
Also- check out Mark Shapiro's website (try googling his name and Stonepool Pottery). Also Michael Kline's blog. And Ayumi Horie's website (lots of great links and info). From your pots I'd say you'd like Jack Troy if you had a chance to take a workshop....
Sorry I don't have addresses.
 
Jags- that one is pretty big (good if you grow >100 head of garlic a year). Remind me and I'll make you a reasonable one for the next firing, but it won't be until December.

My buddy Dave is a senior pottery major at NH College of Art. Based on some pieces that he made in this firing, and some 4 am discussions in front of the firebox, he has a plan for his senior project that will take up half the kiln or so. We'll need to fire before the end of the semester for that.
 
Adios Pantalones said:
Jags- that one is pretty big (good if you grow >100 head of garlic a year). Remind me and I'll make you a reasonable one for the next firing, but it won't be until December.

My buddy Dave is a senior pottery major at NH College of Art. Based on some pieces that he made in this firing, and some 4 am discussions in front of the firebox, he has a plan for his senior project that will take up half the kiln or so. We'll need to fire before the end of the semester for that.

Yee Haawww! I love gaaaalic. I probably run through an average of 2 heads or more a week.
 
AP Wow!!! There is some really amazing stuff! Thanks for taking the time to post pictures for all to see!! I love to see hand made stuff as I make handmade period reproduction furniture. I especially like the jugs and tradtional looking pottery!!! Some really beautiful work!! Some really cool effects you achieved. I especially like the blue glazes. Thanks again for posting and sharing. I am assuming that like my furniture where there are so many hours and costs involved that this is probably not a financially viable business. I put so much time in a piece that if I sold it for market value I would make about $2/ hours. However, the tradition is carried forward by the hobbiest . Maybe your trade is the same way? Anyhow something to be proud of. Very nice!! You should have an admission fee to watch the kiln process. A lot of people would be interested in the process.

BTW, I think I saw Bob Ross on one of the digital channell 44 PBS stations the other night. He was very mellow with a big fro. Is he still on TV?
 
Bob is, unfortunately no longer with us. I'd say "at peace", but homey was already the mellowest person imaginable (unless he got together with Fred Rogers and tore it up when he was off the set).

People can make a living at pottery. Normally it's a modest but fulfilling lifestyle, but occasionally it's lucrative. You're right that it's a case where you need to think about an hourly wage and charge an amount that might make you squeamish and embarassed to start. Short change yourself, and you make nothing and train the market to expect cheap prices for handmade craft. The furniture is probably even worse in that case, as I've seen what my buddy John Brooks charges for a coffee table ( http://jbfinefurniture.com/) ... worth the price, but more than I can afford.

I know potters that are great artists and terrible business people (they sometimes lament that it was not stressed in school as much), some that have found a way to tap into good marketing methods, and some that happily churn out a handmade production line- with a few one offs on the side. Sometimes the person that can bang out 100 beanpots in a day becomes a good one-off studio artist because they have a fluid movement and really don't have to think about throwing- they clay just sort of leaps into the shape they want. Jeff Brown is like that- I was in his studio when they filmed him throwing a huge pot for an online commercial for a pottery doohickey maker... holy crap (see it at www.jeffbrownpottery.com ) He slowed down the process so they could catch it better- that big bottle to his left took about 5 mnutes to throw.

The production pieces are usually bread and butter though, and high-end art pieces is not something easy to start in. The stuff I make right now is all one-off, not high-end, but more niche market because of the nasty wood and soda effect. It could command a slight bump in price because of the firing method and associated losses (it's risky), but it's harder to sell. Plus- I'm still well on the learning curve, so my prices would be lower. Blue pottery always sells better.

What's funny is that when you think about a famous artist- a Renoir for example- everyone knows them whether they acheived financial success or not. A famous potter, however, is generally only known to the pottery world and their good customers. If I mentioned Leach or Hamada- a potter would immediately have an opinion one way or another on these giants. They'd all recognize Michael Cardew's legacy, though I think he scraped along in money terms.

My basement studio is getting filled, and this should pay for itself, so I will probably start an Etsy.com page to sell some off.
 
Bob is, unfortunately no longer with us.

Are they still doing reruns on PBS? (44 boston) It looks just like the avatar, he talks mellow paints and has big hair. Never saw him doodle rapping guys though. It must be him. Maybe they rerun the old shows.


The furniture is probably even worse in that case, as I’ve seen what my buddy John Brooks charges for a coffee table ( http://jbfinefurniture.com/) ... worth the price, but more than I can afford.

His stuff is a lot like mine. Works in the same period. Nice work!!!

My basement studio is getting filled, and this should pay for itself, so I will probably start an Etsy.com page to sell some off.

Let us know when you list it. My wife and I like to buy from local artisans. Better money spent than overseas manufacturers. We are not far from you, just a little west.
 
AP-
Make the things you want to and care about ,look at old pots (museums etc.) pay attention to ones that speak to you, be critical and try to get better- everything else will follow.
 
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