Art 399: CUPS 91-100

All this talk about firing kilns... it is no small undertaking and a highly variable process. Even in an electric kiln, the easiest way to fire ceramics, generally takes 24 hours to reach temperature and then cool down.  Gas kiln firing to cone 10 (which is high fire, rarely are pieces fired above cone 10) takes 48+ hours to fire the kiln and then let it cool.  Gas kilns and reduction firing is such an involved process... I think it is what one of those things I am meant to learn in a university setting.  


At the end of the semester I was aiming to learn the process when the kiln we were firing set off the fire alarm at cone 3.  The sprinkler's went off, fire trucks came out, it was quite a scene.  I think in retrospect what happened was that we didn't plug the sides of the kiln door with enough clay, too much heat was escaping, and that caused the alarm to go off.  The kiln was also in reduction, which produces an open flame at the spyholes, and those flames could have also caused the alarm to sound.  I wish it had been a more positive experience.  Looks like I'll have more to learn in the fall.  


Here are a few photos of the kilns, just in case you have never seen one.  If you are a visual thinker like me it always helps to have an image.

We call this the 'Red Kiln' at USC.  Gas kiln, in this photo fired to reduction.  This is a student made kiln, so it is imprecise to say the least.

Electric kilns, most often used by ceramicist who build with low fire clay.  Very easy to use and program.  Many ceramicist who work out of their home use electric kilns.

C   U   P     0   9   1

Ocean Green and Chun Clear, Electric Fired cone 6

C   U   P     0   9   2

Ball Celadon.  Gas firing interrupted at cone 3.

C   U   P     0   9   3

Ocean Green and Chun Clear, Electric Fired cone 6

C   U   P     0   9   4

Cannon Ball Blue, Gas firing interrupted at cone 3.

C   U   P     0   9   5

Choy Blue, Gas firing interrupted at cone 3.

C   U   P     0   9   6

Emerald Green, Gas firing interrupted at cone 3.  This is a brand new glaze that I made and I didn't do a test tile... and since the firing was interrupted I still don't know what this glaze is suppose to look like.  But the red accents are nice.  See cup 98 also.

C   U   P     0   9   7

Cannon Ball Blue, Gas firing interrupted at cone 3.

C   U   P     0   9   8

Emerald Green, Gas firing interrupted at cone 3.  No signs of green at all on this cup!

C   U   P     0   9   9

Choy Blue, Gas firing interrupted at cone 3.

C   U   P     1   0   0

Chun Clear, Electric fired Cone 6.

That's it!  If you want a cup let me know which one and I'll set it aside for you until we meet again.