They turned out pretty well, for the most part.  The first pic shows about 80% of the kiln load.

Three of the bowls below were newly glazed, one was re-fired.  Can you tell which is which?

If we didn’t already know, we couldn’t have figured it out, either.  Thumbs up for the results!

Re-firing, if you haven’t guessed, is when we put another layer of glaze over the existing fired clay piece and fire it at a slightly higher temperature than it was originally fired.  There is a risk of glazes running or an explosion, so you have to know whether the glaze stays put or tends to run as a rule.

Fairly new glaze that turned out very nicely on these white sconces.

Newly glazed, in case you are wondering.

This little sconce, on the other hand, had first been fired in the raku kiln.  It was a sort-of metalic silver color which Dauna didn’t like a’tal.  Since she prefers sconces to be somewhat pretty….  she thought this might look nice re-glazed (or at least be no less wasted than the rather ugly self it had been).

That’s Dauna’s philosophy, by the way:  If it doesn’t turn out the first time, try again.  If it turns out, great!  If not, it becomes a pot for potted plants, catch-all dish, or yard art.

Another beautiful piece first raku fired then re-fired.

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Once in a while, the result isn’t quite what we’d like….

This piece went in with a glaze that was pitted as if it hadn’t reached temperature (at cone 5).  At cone 6, it came out just as pitted, but with new, large bubbles in the clay body itself.  It looked as though it should have exploded, but it didn’t, nor did the glaze smooth out the way we thought it would have.

This is a six week class, with two sessions per week:  Saturday and Sunday, 2-4pm.  This allows you to complete a project each week.

During the class you will:

• Learn basic hand-building techniques, or (continuing students) learn advanced techniques.
• Work with different glazes and learn about different types of firing.
• Participate in the culmination of the class — a Raku firing (ancient Japanese technique).

Registration is now open — please register by June 10.   Contact us here or on Facebook.

Since the summer class is not sponsored by WLAAC, we’ll need at least 4  students minimum — 8 is the maximum

The cost is $60 — only $5.00 per session, and that includes the lessons, clay, glazes, and firing!

Sessions are held on Saturdays and Sundays, 2-4pm.

Class begins June 19, 2010

As in the first class, students will have the opportunity to create a beautiful Ugly Mug to sell during the Farmers Market and WLAAC’s Summer Music in the Park.  Proceeds benefit WLAAC.

The class consisted of building clay using various methods of hand building.

The class culminated in an outdoor Raku firing.  Raku is a centuries-old dramatic method of firing the clay body using rapid heating and cooling of the clay.  In between the heating and cooling is a period of time in a reduction chamber with organic material.