I have become bored and started playing with C# again. This time I designed a virtual kiln controller. It can calculate firing times based on a Bartlett controller’s prescribed programs, or it can accept a custom firing program. It is my eventual goal to have the software be able to estimate temperatures during firing as […]
My enthusiasm for Standard Ceramic Company’s 563 clay body has been short lived. Upon going to get a fresh batch this morning I was informed that it has been discontinued. I am now in posession of Standard’s 220 clay body. Supposed to be very similar, but I will determine that. I liked how well 563 […]
Looking back on the last two weeks I feel more like a ceramic artist now than I have in a while. I like everything I have made and have been proud to send it through the kiln. I have also made more work and spent more time working on ceramics than I think I have […]
In several days I will start my first ceramics class without Tweedy. I have grown quite attached to Tweedy’s ways of doing things, and the ways of the UNCC ceramics studio. I will be in a new studio and under a new instructor. I am terrified.
I have never trimmed a clay as smooth as 563. The clay shaves off with no disruption to the piece, and I don’t get those nasty little grooves that some grogged stonewares do. I am liking more about it than I am hating about it. I will likely keep working with 563, maybe as a […]
My first throw in Standard’s 563 was interesting. It centered fast, and threw smooth. The texture of the clay was great, but the particular batch this bag is from seems to be a little overly moist. The clay has no structure… it isn’t good for throwing wide bowls at this point (but as with all […]
My normal throwing clay for home is Standard Clay’s 105 or 105G (with grog). Also I work with a red clay in the same series, 104. Recently my mother (who does a lot of glazing for me) asked if she could use mid-range stoneware glazes. This brought about a question in myself… can she? I […]