Soda Fired Pieces

Atmospheric kilns are a magical thing... an artist must wholly let go of all notion of precision and control and be ruled by the process.  Not two firings are identical and there isn't a sure way to predict the outcome.  With hesitation I let go and I was so pleased with the results.  I used Cobalt oxide wash and a variety of soda slips on these pieces.  Glazes used only on the interior.  

This series was originally fired to cone 6 in an electric kiln.  You'll notice that the following pieces that were re-fired in Soda are much changed.  I didn't make any other adjustment, the raw pieces were fired with the light oxide wash.  When soda is introduced into the kiln it becomes a glaze itself, and the way it interacted with the oxides left the speckled, shiny surface.  You will also notice the effect of being packed with many other pots - some areas receive more soda than others.  I love the effect - 'flashing'.  It implies movement within the object.  It invites you to turn the forms to see what happens on another side. 

 

 

 

These are all part of my initial series of African pots and forms.  I was so pleased with the way they came out in the Soda kiln - they are raw and organic and more beautiful than any type of prescribe surface I would have applied.