So... Where Was I, anyway?

I had a big outdoor firing yesterday that I thought wouldn't go that long... It did, BUT... I have at least a hundred WONDERFUL new beads from it! Originally the firing was supposed to be last weekend, but the weather didn't cooperate and it was rescheduled for yesterday. Silly old me thought I could do it all, but come 12:30, my work was still inside multiple kilns and there was just no way I was going to make it! The beads above were from the "horse-hair" Kiln

Here the beads are cooling on the rack. In this firing, the pieces are heated to 1500 degrees and pulled from the kiln HOT! Then while burning HOT, things are touched to the clay and burn instantly. The supplies on hand for this firing were: Horse Hair, Feathers, Leaves, Wild Barley, Sugar, Orange Rind, ect. These were my favorite beads of the day!

Here is a shot of The Potter's Exchange member's work from the Horse Hair kiln. It might be good to view this photo larger so that you can see the different markings a little better. Unfortunately there was SO much firing going on that I was running between all of it and didn't get the best shots of every one's work-- (which was wonderful!)

Here are Deb, Roy, Monica and Guy setting up the burner for one of the Raku Kilns

Here is Monica after she removed her work from the Raku kiln. The Burning hot pottery is placed inside metal containers full of sawdust, newspapers, ect and the sawdust immediately ignites and the pottery is trapped inside the container with the smoke. This causes chemical reactions to take place on the glaze surface and makes all those wonderful flashings and variety of color that comes with Raku pottery.

Again Here is a not-so wonderful shot of every one's Raku work. My beads are inside the dish on the right.

So Yesterday I posted this photo of my beads being prepared for the Sagger kiln. I used sea Weed, copper mesh, sawdust, Something called Swamp Juice, and other weird potter made concoctions. That's just my kind-of thing. Mad Scientist gone pyro-maniac!

Here is the half loaded Sagger kiln. The group made this during a workshop with North Carolina Artist Edge Barns.

And here is the result of the first Sagger Firing. Burnt reds, Oranges, browns, touches of green. There were lots of Mossy looking surface designs.

And here are my beads pulled fresh from the ashes, full of ashes. I will be polishing them up and photographing them this week! Maybe I'll even get some in my Etsy shop by next weekend, so check back every now and then or become a fan of Artisan Clay on Facebook if you want first picks!

So that's where I was! I really expected to be Live at the Open Studio Event :-( But, I hope you forgive me! Sometimes I just can't be everywhere at once, though I do like to make myself crazy by trying!

I am going to announce my the winners of both of my Give-aways late this afternoon. I am giving plenty of time to enter-- since I didn't keep to the correct timing yesterday! So, check the post for yesterday and enter BOTH giveaways! You do not have to let me know what you like and want to see more of in my shop to enter, but if you do you will be entered for 2 chances. I am really enjoying reading all your suggestions and I am making a to-do list!

Thanks again for coming by--

-Kristie-