The morning of the 3rd day the pots were out of the kiln and ready to be glazed. It was so amazing to see how different they looked from just 48 hours earlier.. when they were not even born yet!
The glazes were so beautiful all lined up!
Here is Pam demonstrating how to apply glaze with a spray gun! It made it sooo much easier!
Once we had everything glazed it was time to head outside to the raku firing area!
Pam is getting the kilns ready for the firing! She had 2 going at once!
Once the kilns are ready we started to load them up. Pam taught us how to do this by loading up a toilet paper roll first! We did not actually put it in there but it gave us a good feel for the gear you have to wear and the tongs you use as you are dealing with your pieces (she makes you wear massive heat protection...it's all about the safety!).
She checks on the pieces every so often during each firing... it does not take long at all!
We prepared the sand pits and straw nests that the pieces will be placed in as soon as they come out of the kiln! You place the piece directly onto the straw nest and immediately cover it with a bucket (sealing the edges of the bucket with the sand to keep the smoke in). The straw lights on fire and creates loads of smoke! The smoke gets into the cracks that are formed as the piece is rapidly cooling! It makes for the most wonderful effects!
Here is a piece going into the sand bucket and immediately lighting on fire! You can see Pam at the ready with the bucket to cover it up instantly (you gotta trap all that fabulous smoke)!!
Once the piece has cooled for a little while you pick it up with gloved hands and spin it into a bucket of water that's sitting next to the sand bed.
Here is Pam loading the other kiln. It was a little spookier than the tall thin kiln as it was deeper and had fire licking up the sides.
This is my first piece out. It's def my favorite one!
Look at all those fabulous cracks and that deep orange color! swooon!
Here are some of our pots sitting on the bleachers cheering us on! Mine are on the top right side!
Here is Pam giving Isabel some Raku Schmoochers! For the most part Isabel kept to the outskirts of the firing as things were going on. You could tell she was an old pro!
Now for the Isabel Chronicles!
Each morning as you are driving up wonder dog would run up to the car to greet you
(I took these pics on the last day as I was driving in).
As you get closer she turns around as if beckoning you to follow her.
Which is exactly what I would do!
Here she is in the parking area
(as if to tell you... ok ladies... this is where you can park... got it?).
She snuggles right up next to the car once you have stopped...
...and she sits there and waits for you to get out of your car (not even kidding). The cutness factor at this point every morning was about a 120+ (on a scale of 1 - 100). Talk about a great way to start every morning! She had me smiling the second I pulled up!
The neat thing about this pottery workshop is that you go home on the 3rd day completely exhausted and elated all at the same time! You walked in 3 days earlier with no idea of what was to come... and walk out with beautifully glazed pots... all your own... formed, cleaned and glazed... all on your own. I managed to make 9 pots. I was completely floored that I managed to make that many. I am still amazed about it even a year later!
I hope you have enjoyed these pics! Sharing them with you has me 400 times more excited than I was just 3 days ago... 3 little days! It's amazing what you can accomplish, learn, make, form, cherish... in just 3 short days!!
Lots of Love!
P.S. Come back Monday for a chops, paper, scissors challege/giveaway!
xoxoxoxoxoxo!!!!
