Summer 2011 Video Preview: First Impressions

Upon our first glimpse into the kiln after the new wood-fired glaze kiln took its maiden voyage, we were stunned, perplexed, and pleased all at the same time. Some of the glazes were a complete flop and needed a new firing technique, some showed a glimmer of hope and promise, and others looked fantastic (and those surfaces and textures, we subsequently realized, were difficult to replicate). The pieces shown in the following video and still shots are a result of diligence, some serious sweat equity, and a tiny ounce of insanity.

Best Firing Yet

Thanks to all who contributed their services to this last kiln firing. We had the greatest results come out of the kiln that we have seen to date. They truly are spectacular.

Thanks goes out to….

Lennie Maynor and Levi Mahan for doing the heavy lifting.

Smudge for providing snacks.

Photo courtesy of Dennis Pearman

Brenda Hornsby-Heindl for rocking the front chamber. She is now the official “Anagama Mama."

Lucy for providing a welcome break and a quick snuggle.

Photo courtesy of Dennis Pearman

Dave York and Trish Welsh for their steady hands and loyal service.

Photo courtesy of Dennis Pearman

Ms. Amy from Jersey for her enthusiasm and eagerness to jump in (good luck on the AT, Amy!). And to Dave Stumpfle and Santiago Ramirez for their tireless efforts to fire the beastly kiln at ungodly times of the night.

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the shiniest pots we have ever produced.

View Full Album

13 days and counting until the Spring Kiln Opening. Don’t forget to put it on your calendar! Get it while it’s hot!

Photo courtesy of Dennis Pearman

Stellar!

It seems as though our luck with the first full firing ever of this new kiln has coincided with the current meteor shower above our heads. What an absolutely incredible experience. We had a lot riding on this firing, probably not thinking the clearest when we decided to hold a sale right after firing a kiln that had never before reached the temperatures we were going to bring it to. I guess nobody knows that the roller coaster is secure unless someone rides on it first. There's only so many safety precautions you can take, but if it malfunctions, well.....we won't talk about it.



We'll start with some photos showing the unfired pottery and the process of how it is stacked in the kiln:

Shown: Unfired planters


Shown: Unfired big pots

Next, a video showing just a bit of the firing process, the first part showing the guys in action while stoking the kiln and the second part showing the intensity of the end of the firing, where stoking and salting of the pots are happening simultaneously. At about two minutes, a promo pops up so just hang on for a few seconds and the video will continue:




Then, a few shots of the guys and the real stars of the show, the pots!







Pictured: Alex Matisse

Pictured: Mark Hewitt



Pictured: Alex Matisse, Mark Hewitt, Seth Guzovsky, Brad Lail, Joseph Sand

Finally, we have some photos of the unloading of the kiln. Truly spectacular firing!



Shown: Dave Stumpfle

This is the after shot of the loading photo seen above.

Shown: Levi Mahan and Joseph carrying a big pot from the kiln up to the workshop.

With the expertise of Mark Hewitt and Alex Matisse, along with the many crucial helpers (Andy McMahan, Spencer Johnson, Dave York, Beverly Fox, Seth Guzovsky, Brad Lail, Levi Mahan, Lara and Jim O'Keefe, Dave Stumpfle, and Mark and Mike Allred), the kiln fired beautifully.

Thanks for all your help!

Making potz

Well, Joseph is back at it again. I am constantly amazed at the calm in the workshop as he works. Being the lucky wife that I am, I have been witness to many beautiful creations in the making, arriving home from work while he's in the thick of it. Some of them did not make it, however. We learned very quickly that I am not as strong as he assumed me to be. Luckily, him and I never dropped a pot, but have had some mishaps that led to the demise of a few beauties. He did drop a big one with a friend the other day. All in all, only 2 big ones were lost, their lives fleeting and brief, but stellar none the less.

Here is a selection of the 10-gallons jars and vases that Joseph has thrown in his past few weeks of production. He started off by making a variety of medium sized planters, moving on to these pieces. Using a variety of glazes both familiar and not, he is taking a gamble, hoping that the risky proves to be rewarding.

Wouldn't he be a good snake charmer? I'd rather him wrangle some clay coils instead! This coil is en route to be added as the next layer on a big monster pot.

Once the coil is added, thrown, and smoothed out, an even rim is cut and removed.

So proud of his beauty! This was his first big pot, being so incredibly heavy that his poor wife couldn't budge it one inch. He had to call a friend to come over, but it had to be before he started work, so the two of them moved the pot at 5:30 am the next day! Show me someone who loves his job more than Joseph does, and I'll buy you lunch!

A quick shot of a week's worth of muscling around clay, lots of sweat, grunts and groans trying to move those big beauties around the room!

Now, don't get excited, because this is not a true firing; there are no pots inside. After the kiln was painted so nicely, Joseph (joined by our friend, Spencer, from Pittsboro) decided to burn a bunch of scrap wood just to take it for a test drive. Man, that thing fired like a gem. Let's hope it does the same when it's full of pots! We can't wait!

SAVE THE DATE!

Speaking of which, we can't wait to announce our kiln opening date!
Join us on August 21st and 22nd for our first kiln opening.
Those that have participated in our Buy A Brick program will have their own pre-sale on August 20th.
As we get closer to the date, watch your email and snail-mail box for an official announcement.