Opening the KilnYesterday I fired my kiln. It cooled overnight and today Jackie and Hilary joined me to see what lay inside. My kiln is a knock down affair but I persevere with it. Those results which I achieved under the more controlled conditions of an electric kiln and with a technician to help me were just so boring. So I screw down the regulator on the gas bottle, look inside for an almost white heat, juggle with the air fuel ratio and plot temperature against time.
Inside the Kiln For me there are two essential ingredients towards making a piece of Art, an element of unreality and an element of chance. My outfit will certainly guarantee me that element of chance.
We lifted out of the kiln one big hand which I hope will speak for itself. I don’t do pretty. I also hope I shall never try to make another hand in clay. It is an inept material if the fingers are stretched. I shall go back to metal work. I am also trying to develop the ceramic mural like I see in the British Museum. Today’s result is a bit hazy, must try again. My beads all stuck together because my new bead firing rack was not up to the temperature, shall have to make my own. Mark Tilley
Thanks for this - I have been interested to know how Mark goes about the firing but unable to make the 'opening days'. The images bring the whole process to life - not sure I would be as brave to do this in my own back yard!
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