Difference between oxidation and reduction firings

Oxidation firing is typically done in an electric kiln, but can also be done in a gas kiln. Oxygen is free to interact with the glazes when firing. Oxidation firing allow very bright, rich colors. High temperatures may be used, or low temperatures.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reduction firing is typically done in a gas or other fuel burning kiln, since the corrosive effects wear out the elements on an electric kiln. In reduction firing, oxygen is prevented from interacting with the glazes during glaze maturation. This is done by adjusting the fuel in a gas kiln, or by adding organic material such as in Raku. As the organic material burns it uses up oxygen, leaving an oxygen-less environment. Reduction firing typically is used to obtain mottled, rich, earthy colors, often the iron from the clay shows through and gives a speckled look. Typically high temperatures are used in reduction firings.

In a reduction firing, the fire is searching for air. This causes it to leap from the opening when checking the firing as shown to the left. Here artist Jim Gremel checks the progress of a luster glaze reduction firing.

Oxidation/reduction explanation from: http://www.bigceramicstore.com/information/types_of_firing.htm

Excellent site for glaze recipes of both types: http://www.ceramicstoday.com/stoneware.htm

Oxidation pics from: http://home.earthlink.net/~jessieadair/id45.html & http://jonsinger.livejournal.com/2006/04/10/

Reduction fired jar: http://www.pinehillpottery.com/pinehillpottery/culturalshow/culturalpots.html

Never Say Always

After years of listening, analyzing, absorbing, and re-re-re-analyzing everything that is said to me by the men in my life, I have come to understand that there are a few words that I can rarely tolerate. Never and Always. These words, when directed towards me, take on a deeper meaning, because if I never do something, or I always do something, then those things must be inescapable to me regardless of my heart or intent. From a young age, girls absorb all the apparent inescapables and create in themselves a quiet hidden self-loathing which is responsible for a decaying self image, lack of confidence, and sway in determination. My sculpture, "Never Say Always," is meant to depict this inescapable awareness of flaws. It was hammered into me long enough where it almost rendered me useless. Almost. But now I know to say, "never say always or never to me, because those words are always incorrect." Self-pity and doubt must be rejected by the women of our generation. We have been handed an attainable world, and it is our responsibility to grasp the hands of men and other women and stand tall. We must be proud of the forward motion of our time and lay pettiness aside.

The plan for the finish includes fragile and delicate collarbones coupled with thin strong arms bound up and behind her by wire to make a handle. The handle will be full of spikes and points rendering her only obvious use useless, but leaving her beautiful and complicated and full of purpose and meaning to me.

peace in pieces, I say.

First Batch

These are a few images taken by my lovely loverboy of my first round. Please see more of his luminous photography at acrossthehall.smugmug.com. These pots are destined for a high fire glazing in the next few days and I can't wait to see them finished.

More images coming soon. I am currently working on a few sculpture projects. One is seen here. I had to make a rooster head for a very ugly metal rooster body with gingham and other folk assorted flavors. It is to be raku fired using Bruce Odell's glazes and techniques. This is the finished rooster product except for the addition of eyes after a long philisophical battle with my father. I believed this to be a souless project and the rooster to be a nearly eyeless animal anyway, but I was quickly and consistently re-informed that I had to do it his way. So, concede I must for now, but soon it will be my way...everytime.

title explanation

Generation information, innovation, individualism.

not generation y, the tailfeathers of the x-ers.

There are two currencies the earth currently understands: votes and money.

Right now we are learning and amassing our ranks.

Reaching our birthdays and pursuing our entrepreneurial endeavors.

Soon we will be a wealthy many.

Generation I.

kiln videos and thoughts

one of many stokes to a wood fired kiln. I've been wondering lately if this intense process cannot instead be widdled down to its basics. It's my ever-so-amateur hypothesis that the effects of woodburning are generated by incinerated cellulose and ash swirling aroundthe natural convection forces withing these massive kilns giving them that warm ambered effect. The effects are similar to soda firing which we know is caused by swirling and landing vapors. So what if we simulated the wood firing environment with convection streams and incinerated algae, just a thought, a repeating, unfolding and slightly addictive little thought.

Next is a beautiful series showing the life of an anagama firing. I love the zen-like silence of the artists, so calm and in touch with their work. Unpretentious and refreshing. All short, so not too much of a commitment to enjoy:

Inspired by a kindred spirit

Every day we pour over more of my father's massive collection of Ceramics Monthly. I find myself rolling from intimidated to inspired and overly critical to speechless. Its descriptions of techniques and personal articles from the artists themselves are an incredible source of education for me. Josh, my lover/boyfriend/everything, whatever suits you best was leaving to drive a car home from across the country for his sister, and I was looking for a few choice selections for his flight when I came across the February issue from 2002. In her article entitled, Expanding the Mystery, Gail Nichols tells the adventurous and philisophical story of her pursuit of a soda ice glaze. Having begun in engineering like me, I feel connected to her more than any friend or foe with which I can speak. She used high technology and research, including electron scan microscopes and of course the lovely miracle of hypotheses to increase the power of her artistic tools. She says:

"Science involves asking questions about natural phenomena and seeking answers that can be verified by experiment. Engineering is essentially practical problem solving. Both activities require curiosity and creative thinking, qualities also employed in the arts. But for some reason many potters are uncomfortable with using science and technology in their work. There is a fear that such approaches will destroy the 'mystery' of materials and process, and detract from the intuitive nature of an artist's work. In other words you can't be an artist and a scientist at the same time. Yet through my research I have found the exact opposite: the more knowledge I acquire, teh more the mystery expands and my artwork progresses."

I extend to her my deepest gratitude for her bravery, honesty, and sincere innovation. I will continue with this pursuit as long as life still finds its way into my hands. Because of women before me, my way is partially paved. Paved enough I've found, and I will not disappoint.

Please see the following links to learn more about this amazing artist, scientist, and friend of expansion:

http://www.ceramicsmonthly.org/mustreads/soda.asp
http://www.theclaystudioofmissoula.org/GailNichols/GailNichols.htm
http://www.boutwelldrapergallery.com.au/exhibitions/2006/6_jul_aug_06/2_nichols/bdglnls0706-Thumb.00001.php

peace in pieces,.,.

Blending media

After long searching and years of knuckles bloodied to the bone, I have decided to lay my pursuits in Biological Engineering under the sheets. Not down around my ankles, useless or forgotten, but with me on my pillow as I sleep and dream of the flesh I'll bend tomorrow before I make it hot and stone like bone.

The purpose of this blog is to track my learning. I am a beginner potter/ceramist if you count the hours spent with hands covered in slip, but in my lifetime, memory, and experience, I have been at this for as long as the slightly less amateur.

My lover and I have left it all to pursue what we know to be more noble than all other things we could put our heavy minds to. He is pursuing blacksmithing and I am pursuing well, you know. Both of us have chosen ancient arts whose roots are in function and whose present condition is in need of a little...introduction...information...innovation. We believe that because we have more technical, inventoresque, backgrounds, that we can approach these mediums with fresh vigor and passion, and with eachother, great things are bound to happen.

To track his learning also see his blog, generation i blacksmithing.