Another Kiln Load Opening Today -- and, Yes, Mixed Again

Today, or possibly tonight (it's still cooled only to around 550 F), I'll be opening another mixed kiln load, but I'm moving in the right direction:  almost all of this load is bisque, and only a handful of glazed pieces.  I think by the next firing, I can have solid one or the other loads.

The kiln yesterday before I started firing.  Only these few pieces on top are glazed.  It's not a very full kiln, but I have a lot of oddly shaped pieces that are going to need their own kiln when I have enough of them.  

Later (next day)  Oops!  I forgot to photograph the kiln when I opened it, but all came out well, and I have a lot of underglaze painting to do now!!

Included in the few glazed pieces are some really cute ones, in my humble opinion.  I've been doing a few smaller pieces as I think I've already mentioned, and among them are some smaller wall-hanging fish that can be hung either vertically or horizontally.  I can imagine how nice a grouping of them on a wall would be.  And, of course, as usual, each piece is unique.  

Remember, if you ever have any questions about any part of my technique or materials (such as clay, underglazes, etc.) that I use, I'll be happy to answer them.  Just drop a comment in the posting.

And if you ever want to see any of my works, they're all at Etsy (except for the two galleries below). 

 https://dottiedracos.etsy.com

My works are also available at Fine Lines Gallery in Sister Bay, WI, and at Nash Gallery in Hilton Head, SC.

And, one final thing:  I no longer do paintings, but prints of my paintings are still available at FineArtAmerica, https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/dottie-dracos/shop.  I get a small commission when one sells.

Kiln Results - Good

Ok, I forgot to take pics while the pieces were still in the kiln, so I have some piled-up pieces here:  First, all the "newbies' stuff was in the bottom of the kiln, and theirs came out fine and they'll be by soon to paint and glaze them, even the piece that had an almost 3/4"-deep base (I dried it for weeks!)

The next-bottom bisqued pieces are already piled on my paint table, but they're a bit visible in the photo below.  I'll start painting them this weekend.  

And the top couple of layers had glazed-fired pieces, which all came out well, too.  So my mixed load, bisque and glaze pieces, once again worked well, again at a slow glaze schedule.  I am NOT recommending this process; but in a pinch, which I felt this was, it worked out well.  Again, I've been doing this stuff for a long, long time, so I have more of a feeling for what will work, and I'm sometimes willing to take the chance.  There was one piece in there that was a customer request, and it was already late with it.  So she'll get her piece listed Monday, and all is well :)

Sorry, my paint table is always, always a mess, but it serves me well.  I think I've mentioned:  I sit in one place, and the table turns, and each round platform on the table turns as well.  Very convenient.

I'll be listing these pieces on Etsy over the next couple of weeks.  During the summer when business is slow, I only list a few pieces a week -- and I don't make as many pieces, either, although I try to make myself work more because, as with every year, the holiday season is just around the corner.  September-February are my best months of the year.  (I guess January-February are people who received gift certificates.)

Glaze Kiln Firing and Opening

I just opened a new glaze kiln firing this morning and thought I would show you a before and after shot.  I forgot to photograph the pieces after they had been painted with underglaze.  Maybe another time.

This firing was in my small kiln, so things are very crowded.  These days, since I don't make the large volume of  pieces that I used to, I most often use my small kiln.  To fill the large kiln would take me almost a month, so it's not often worth using it.

The top photo is taken after I've glazes the pieces.  They're still wet.   The second photo is after I fired them.  This is just a photo of the bottom shelf.