Sunday 20 October 2013

Remember, Remember the 5th of November!

I am running a project to use the Upwey Village Nov 5th Bonfire to enhance some pottery. I have been encouraging my evening class students and villagers to make some smooth pots that can be submitted to the flames, thus picking up some unusual colourings.
My own entries have been turned and burnished and are drying out ahead of being coated with fine slip and polished some more. They will then be electric fired to 950C and then packed in metal containers, surrounded with sawdust and an assortment of combustables and colourants and then buried in the bonfire.

Laurence and I threw a couple of large urns this afternoon, both of us helping to keep them concentric and under control. We were very impressed with our vessels. Tomorrow we will continue throwing them, just to thin them out a little (and hopefully not distort them too much).
Laurence may be allowed to put on some lug handles to give a bit more interest.
These will go in the next wood firing.
The exercise (both the physical effort and the strategic approach) was very satisfying - making pots is usually a sole occupation and so it is interesting to work closely alongside another potter and see how they do things.

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