If you have been challenged by firing in an electric kiln, this looks like the workshop to attend. – Vicki Hardin
“Electric vs. Gas Firing: What’s all the fuss about reduction, Anyway?”
The cost of $990 includes the workshop, lodging and meals. Three workshops are scheduled for the summer for the following dates:
May 12 – 16, 2010
July 21 – 25, 2010
August 25 – 29, 2010.
Workshop Schedule
7-10 Wednesday, 10-5 Thursday-Saturday, with after dinner activities. 10-3 on Sunday.
Day 1 Welcome dinner at 7PM.
Day 2 Lecture on spraying / demonstrations of techniques necessary to achieve consistent success.
Day 3 Students will glaze their pots (6-8 bone dry or bisque) for both electric and gas reduction firing. After glazing we will load both kilns and begin pre- heating.
Day 4 Fire kilns, with an in-depth discussion about the firing process. Discussions about spraying equipment.
Day 5 Unload kilns and discuss results. Why things look the way they do? Workshop will be over by 2-3PM.
Students are welcome to stay Sunday night if traveling on Monday
Steven Hill writes: I love the variation that occurs naturally across the surface of salt, soda and wood fired pots. I salt fired for 2 years in the early 70‘s but since then my pottery has been reduction fired in gas kilns. Throughout this time I have strived to create atmospheric surface qualities through the careful blending and layering of sprayed glazes.
About a year ago I was surprised to discover that reduction firing plays a rather insignificant role in the finished look of my pottery! The cascading rivulets of ash-like glazes and mysterious microcrystalline mat surfaces work just as effectively in oxidation as they do in reduction. Even the rich brown and orange colors that I have always attributed to reduction firing are possible in oxidation. For the first time ever I am questioning whether the results I achieve justify the limitations of a gas kiln: where it can be located, and the difficulty of building, plumbing and venting a kiln… or the expense of buying and installing a manufactured gas kiln.
This workshop will address the ways I achieve the kind of richness and surface variation that potters have come to associate with fuel burning kilns and reduction firing. The information provided will also help you get the most out of YOUR glazes, applied to YOUR pots and fired in YOUR kiln – be it gas or electric. I will demonstrate the basic techniques of spraying and also spend time with the more advanced theories of layering and blending glazes. Although glaze formulation is beyond the scope of this workshop, I will discuss mid-range and high-fire glazes and suggest ways to experiment with the layering process to create your own unique look. Firing schedules and how they affect glaze surfaces will also be included in the discussion. To read more about my experiences with electric firing, click to read Atmospheric Effects For Electric Firing.
Equipment and technique both play a vital role in successful spraying. We will cover the range of possibilities, from the bare necessities to the ideal glaze spraying studio. We will have disposable dust masks for use while spraying glazes, but if you have a good respirator bring it with you. – Steven Hill
Click here for more information and to reserve your space: Steven Hill Workshop
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