ready...set...go

Okay. I am writing tonite to ease my way to punching these keys to say something which may or may not make sense.

In the last week I have had to opportunity to spend time glazing pottery. I had two successful glaze firings which I did up at The Crafthouse. Yes St. Kitts has a place to 'fire' up pottery. So.... having moved house and studio, I didn't have to worry about getting my work completed. In the weeks prior to moving, I made as much pottery as possible. I think I did about two bisque firings before leaving my old studio at Camps. I knew from past experieince that moving would lose me time getting my kiln set up. At some point the idea hit me to call the GM at The Crafthouse and ask about the cost of firing a kiln load. The price was quite affordable. Then I had another brainwave.....why not take all the bisque pottery to The Crafthouse and do the process of designing and glazing the pottery there. So I did! I spent three days designing and glazing the pottery, to fill the two loads. I am so relieved that I now have some new pieces to show. I must give thanks to a little lady from Canada, who came to visit the island and somehow found me...she said she has read 'all' about me...so I guess she read this blog too....anyway 'Jewel' thanks for the time you spent assiting me and for the new designs you were able to add to my existing collection. Now I am set to go! I sell again, to produce again, to be creative!!!

The results....FINALLY

Well, it's been a few days since I fired up my electric kiln to complete a glaze firing of pottery which had been created over the last few weeks. It is indeed a process, the making of pottery, from opening a bag of moist clay to seeing the actual piece glazed and fired. I told someone

today, while at the Amina Craftmarket, where I sell my work primarily to cruise ship and stayover visitors, that no one asked me to make pottery or to put a particular design and colour on them. I am inspired by the spirit, something within me that moves me to see, create and do things in a particular way. It allows me to observe and interpret what I see around me and I execute it in my pottery. I also said that no one has to buy it but they do. A potential buyer comes to my gallery or my table at the market, the piece they will eventually buy speaks to them and inspires them to walk away with it. That makes me feel good!!

I am quite happy with the results of this firing, including the pieces which were glazed with the 'wrong' glaze. We unpacked the kiln two days after I fired up the kiln. At my sales event later that night, and again today, the newer designs which I decided to try were the first to 'fly' off the table.

For the pieces which I've sold the process is totally complete. In my gallery and my 'travelling bin' (the container in which I carry my pieces), there is a whole new stock to be sold..the process of pottery making complete! Now, it's time to sell, sell, sell!!!

finishing up

I woke up energised and ready to complete the process of glazing the pottery pieces that we had completed over the past few weeks. I choose to use glaze colours which I believe speak to me as a Caribbean potter. I love using black, blue, green, yellow and red. During my meditation to decide what colours to use and how to execute the designs, I decided to return to use a combination I used years ago, and also one which I returned to from time to time. What I call the 'liberation or Caribbean colours'...red, green, yellow and black. I also decided to do some faces and locks as a background design for some of the pieces. I have always loved playing with faces in my work. And the locks well you know...I am inspired by it too.

I promised photos to tell the story this time around.

I began working on the pieces seen below. After the clay is fired is reddish brown. I have just completed putting on the yellow glaze. At this stage it looks whitish. The real colour of the glaze will be evident after it is fired.

There is quite a number of pieces to complete. Some of the pieces were done last night. Some still need to be glazed on the inside.

As I worked a couple of ladies visited the shop. They purchased a couple pieces. I also received a phone call from one of my sisters in the US. Since I working alone and I had a meeting with a potential client, I had to stay focussed on completion. After applying the glazes and cleaning the bottom of all the pieces, I signed each piece before packing the kiln for the second firing.

You can see the little turtles which are going along for the ride between cups and bowls. I use these to make windchimes. It was an extremely hot day. I kept going back and forth from the house to the studio. I packed pieces into a box to make the process easier both on my legs and my flagging energy.There are shot glasses, boxes and bowls.

The top shelves got the plates and coasters.

I say a prayer and let it rip. The timer on the kiln was set for ten hours. I looked at the clock, it was 1.35pm and my meeting was scheduled for 1.30pm. I heard my phone going off. I couldn't find it. By the time I located it...a missed call from the prospective client. I called them back and told them I am on my way. I quickly washed my face, and some other parts of the body which was dripping with sweat, towelled of quickly, hunted for a dress, packed the three sample scounces and was out the door.

Two of the scounce samples.

The kiln fired for eight hours. I took a peep in it a few hours ago to see the results of the firing. The kiln was still quite hot eighteen hours later.

You'll see the results of the firing in my next blog.

packing the kiln

Today, I am completing the packing of my kiln. It is housed in my outdoor studio, here at The Potter's House. The goats have come by to see how many mangoes have fallen from the trees so that they can consume them for breakfast. This is my second kiln. I bought my first kiln back in 1995. It was an Aim kiln. I used it for about eleven (11) years before I bought my second kiln, an Olympic, in 2006. It is a larger kiln, measuring 23" wide x 30" high. Sometimes, I find it a challenge to pack it 'fill it' so as to maximize it's efficiency. So these past two weeks we have been very busy producing pottery. I concentrated mostly on throwing on the wheel, while Steve produced some pieces using the slab technique. Some of the larger pieces still has a couple more days before it is completely dried. Pieces have to be 'bone' dry before they are fired, so that they won't explode in the kiln.

Since this is a top-loading Kiln, I normally start packing the kiln by placing the largest and tallest pieces on the bottom, then I fill in the smaller pieces. I place three of the tallest kiln posts at approximately equal distances apart before adding another kiln shelf. In the photo, you see that this is a 'bisque' or 'biscuit' firing. The pieces are all 'greenware' i. e. air-dried, unfired clay pieces. In a firing like this, pieces can touch each other. While in a 'glaze' firing pieces must be at least 1/2" apart to prevent them from adhering to each other.

On the middle shelves I have packed smaller pieces:- bowls, animal shapes for wind chimes and for wall hangings, coasters, shot glasses and there is also a piggy bank which my daughter Kande made, that's going along for the ride. She made sure I didn't forget to put it in.

Here on the top shelf, I have placed some pieces which are still in the process of drying, along with some small vases, votive candle holders and incense oil burners. The slightly damp pieces are a bit darker than the drier pieces. Late last week, I met someone who is currently doing a development on the island and he asked me to show him some samples of wall sconces. So far we have completed three different designs. While Steve was responsible for the construction of the pieces, we discussed and looked at some designs prior to him executing them. The company uses an 'angel' fish as their motif, so I have incorporated that into the design. Notice the cutouts on the pieces. Since we would like these pieces to be part of this firing, we are hoping to fire the kiln they dry out completely. That may be tomorrow or the day after. In the meantime production continues....