Packed and ready to go!

The packing began late Thursday morning and as if by magic the temperature plunged. We finished the pack at about 8pm on Friday night with just a last few pieces to place this morning (Monday). The kiln is now fully packed. As we are having a gap between packing and firing I have put a small heater inside the kiln to keep the frost off and dry everything out. I'll keep this in until Wednesday morning and then brick up the door and put a gas burner in to continue the drying. I'll light the kiln first thing on Thursday and then its heads down untill probably mid Sunday. Forcast is looking cold but more importantly dry as there are few things worse than trying to cut 10 pallets of wood in the rain :-(

First stack of shelves

 Second layer behind the back side stoke grate.

Back and front middle sections packing good and tight around the arch.

The completed pack.

To top it off the snow started to fall, and there is more forcast over the next few days.

Unfortunatly the streaming will not be happening. However we are hoping that some parts of the firing may be filmed and uploaded at a later date. I'll update this blog as the firing progresses.

Happy new year!!

What better way to kick off 2013 than with the first firing of the year. Preparations are now well underway for the next firing in a couple of weeks. Packing the kiln on 10th - 11th Jan and then firing it the following Thursday till Sunday (17th to 20th). I'm going back to firing for 4 days and have 10 pallets of offcuts + a good pile of cedar and assorted hardwood logs all nicely seasoned ready for the off.

All the work is now glazed and ready for packing but here are a few images of work as it was drying.

I am hoping that the firing will be streamed live online and will hopefully put up a link in the near future. I will update this blog again once we start packing.



Well, it's been a while, as Fairport Convention asked; "who knows where  the time goes"? The leaves are turning and there is a nip in the air which means starting to prepare for the Oxford Ceramics Fair which takes place at the end of this month. It's always a great show and I'm looking forward to going down there, showing my work and catching up with folk. I've also been working hard on a book: Kilns and firing, which I've been asked to write by Bloomsbury due for publication in 2014. Lots of researching words and images. Probably sad but I really enjoy this type of activity, it's in one way completely removed from the processes of making objects but very similar in the way that both objects and words can be crafted. I've also finally started to make work for my next firing which will be in early January. The new kiln is much larger than the last so obviously takes longer to fill etc. I have 8 pallets of wood due to be deliverd at the begining of November. I'm planning to fire the kiln for an extra day this time which is heading back up towards the 5 day firings which I used to do,I'm already starting to get excited about the potentials of that.

These pieces stand about 45cm high and have a black engobe and porcelain slip applied, the plan is to loosly pour a dense crackle shino over them and fire them on the firebox ledges. I'll keep you updated :-) Now off to throw large chargers.

Damper: but not in a wet way

I've spent the last few days taking down the new kiln chimney in order to put a damper in it. Not suprisingly, it's a lot easier to take a chimney down than it is to put it back up again.

And yes...... the sun is casting shadows. Summer!

I've also lowered the chimney by about 6 courses, not due to laziness you understand but I don't think the kiln needs as much draw as the chimney was providing. Hopefully with the combination of a slightly lower chimney + a damper I should be able to have a little more control over the internal atmosphere.

I've also been spending some long overdue time updating the website. Some new pages documenting the building of the kiln and of some of the work that came out of the first firing as well as a bit of a general tidy up.

I should be getting the wood for the next firing in September and will start making next week.

Great show, if a little bit boggy :-o

It was great to be showing at 'Art in Clay', at Hatfield House over the weekend, and good to catch up with folks and meet new makers, collectors and enthusiasts. The above picture was taken on the Saturday when the weather was on and off (in this picture off but imminently on or the other way around depending on your view :-). Warwickshire open studios this weekend and then back to start the modifications on the new anagama chimney.

Ready for Art in Clay

I've been dodging the showers this afternooon packing the van ready to head down to Art in Clay at Hatfield house in the morning. Looking forward to the show and catching up with folk. The show runs from Friday to Sunday 10am - 5pm. Good British summer clothes packed: sun screen and wellies and some good beer for the evenings. Also on board are pots destined for the 'Woodfired', exhibition at the Contemporary Ceramic Centre, at 68, Great Russel Street, London, which runs from the 16th August until the 8th September. Next weekend I'll be down in Stratford-Upon-Avon demonstrating at Warwickshire open studios. Also showing are painter  Claire Brierley and Photographer Sophie Ganner, the show looks great. Hope to see you at one of these if you can make it :-)

Shower.

Let the show begin

Well, the van's packed ready for the trip up to Rufford tomorrow for the Earth and Fire event. The event runs form 10am to 5pm Friday to Sunday. I'm bringing a few larger pots and some of the smaller pieces out of the last firing. I've also altered my stand a little from last year and I think it looks crisp and displays the work well. Hope to see you there :-)