Kiln Unloading Day
The fast turnaround firing.
Today was kiln unloading day, and I wanted to take a moment to walk through the results and process, especially since this was one of those fast turnaround firings. We threw the mugs Tuesday, dried them quickly, bisqued them, glazed them, and got them fired just in time for an upcoming show. I was nervous about rushing it all, but I’m honestly really pleased with how this load turned out. The top shelf had some beautiful textures, especially where the glaze settled into the rasped surfaces of the mugs. That cheese grater trick continues to make a big difference. Colors fired out strong, and the textures really brought out depth and character in the finished pieces.
Firing outside without a shed means I’m always checking wind, temperature, and weather conditions, but the gas kiln held steady. The top shelf fired hot, which I expected, so I overfired the top slightly to make sure the bottom shelf got where it needed to be. Most of the mugs came out with rich glazes, seafoam greens, iron-rich browns, and some rutile effects that feathered nicely. There were a few small glaze flaws and one or two pots that need refiring, but no disasters in the main load. One mug I called the “belly dancer” had a wobble but came out looking great despite its off-center lean. I’ll take a few like that any day.
Now, not everything went smoothly. In the smaller test kiln, I ran into trouble trying to refire some waterlogged pots. I knew it was a risk, but I took the chance. A few exploded, damaging other pots, and I lost a ring shelf in the process. That shelf was an old one from the ceramic Christmas tree days, and I had been using it as a make-do lid. Lesson learned. Waterlogged pots carry a 50-50 risk, and if you’re wrong, it can take down more than one piece. Still, experimenting is part of learning. Playing it safe doesn’t teach you anything new. I’ll vacuum out the shards, clean things up, and try again—with better preparation next time.
As for the wood kiln, we’re slowly making progress. My dad brought over a load of starter wood from a downed tree. I’ve started sorting the arch bricks, which I had mixed up. The chimney is in place, and I’m planning out the damper system. I’ll likely add some shelving to adjust the airflow and maintain flexibility during the build. It’s a process, and every step teaches me something. The kiln is outside in the open, which adds a layer of challenge, but that’s how we do things here. For now, I’m just grateful to have pots ready for the little hometown show tomorrow. They’ll be on the table, and I’ll be there to meet folks and tell the stories behind each piece.
If I were living today a second time:
I would have packed up pots for the little show.
Things I am grateful for:
The beautiful day. I went to visit mom.
If I get to live to be 86, I only have:
12990 days left.