What a crazy day. Weather looked good so we decided to glaze a few bowls at the college and head to the valley to fire up the kiln.
No sooner did we get the kiln loaded, it started to rain. Then it started to rain harder. Now, under an umbrella we heard a "poof!" "What was that?" She asked. Sorry dear. I just blew up one of your pots. What a sight: two despondent raku birds standing under an umbrella.
We were also going to try a horsehair pot, but Julie forgot her pot at the college. Even worse--I had a banded-up lock of horsehair hidden away under a tea bowl on the bench and it turned up missing, all but a couple strands. I think birds might have pilfered the hair for their nests. How I don't know.
The good news is the rain stopped and we reloaded the kiln to start again. The finished product: Julie's first raku bowl.
The blue glaze is a Soldner's Clear with 2 percent cobalt carb added. Julie's other two pieces were glazed with an opaque turquoise.
Next time we bring more pots and fire all afternoon.
