Wood-firing with Justin Lambert

Yummy.

     I recently attended a wood-firing headed by Justin Lambert who was up in Lexington, giving a workshop in the finer points of wood-firing at University of Kentucky. Hunter Stamps, professor in the Ceramics department at UK, invited me and fellow potter, Bill Lennox (incidentally also on the Red Lick Artisans Spring Studio Tour for 2015, Stop #2!)  to share some space with the students. Bill's pots were scattered through the kiln getting some heavy ash and flashing effects.

Bill Lennox Pottery

photo: C.Cusick

     My mugs, since they're carved with a definitive design, we're placed in the back, away from the heavier deposits of ash. The kiln was cooled in a reduction atmosphere. It reacted beautifully with my body slips (colored with oxides and not flashing slips) and shino glaze on the rim and inside of the mugs. Still, I got quite a bit of ash as we reached cone 8-9 early on and the temps were maintained for several days. To that end, the designs were somewhat obliterated and produced some dramatic effects with the drawings. I love them! I'll be putting some up for sale on Etsy, in Midway. Ky. at Damselfly Gallery and during the RLA Tour May 9 & 10.