Thursday, December 15, 2011

How long does it take to glaze a pot?

Jimminy Christmas. I made this pot back when I was first learning to make pottery - the date on the bottom is February of 2007. (and it just got glazed a couple of days ago!) So, I guess the answer to how long it takes? Right now, up to 5 years.


I guess I waited so long because I didn't know what glaze would be best for the design. Some glazes are applied so thick that the design can get lost, so I guess I was waiting for the right glaze. As it turned out, I mixed up a new glaze to try - one I had never even sampled, and I glazed half a kiln load of pots. (risky, but I was just tired of looking at all the unglazed pots on the shelf!)I really like the new glaze and don't know if i could have found a better glaze for this particular pot, so this pot has a happy ending.
This pot on the other hand I left bare. It's dated January of 2007. Again, soon to be another 5 year old pot.

I don't really get attached to my own pottery, but this vase is one of two pieces that I've made that I think I'd like to hang onto. I made this just a few months after I started in pottery. (back when I was trying different shapes, and experimenting) For some reason, I have a hard time reproducing this shape? Anyways, I have yet to find a glaze that I think would work on this piece. At one point, it was going to be a copper red, but that glaze is too thick. I'm leaning toward the new denim blue that is on the iris pot, but we'll see... it's sort of ridiculous to put this much thought into it. Maybe something will come up in the next 5 years!

(anyone else have projects that sit around this long unfinished?)

6 comments:

  1. worth the wait...love the color and finish

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  2. As a knitter? I have DOZENS of UFO's (unfinished objects!) Your pottery is gorgeous, I can't believe you've only been making it for 5 years or so.

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  3. i am firing a pot right now that i made 1 1/2 years ago... that might be as old as it has gotten for me. i was tired of looking at it naked on the shelf!

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  4. Both are beautiful pieces! I especially love the second one. Perhaps a 'terracotta' colored glaze?

    I don't even know if such a thing exists!

    I got my ornaments today! I LOVE them! Thank you for the gift too. So thoughtful of you...
    I need to get some dog photos to you. I'm thinking of having you do an ornament of each dog that I rescue. Or would that be impractical from your standpoint?

    Your work is so lovely!

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  5. Those are both gorgeous. Love, love, love the dogwoods!

    I have a blanket I wove at least 3 years ago that all I need to do is pull out the fringe. Yeesh.

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  6. Love both of those pots! Thank goodness my unfinished projects don't have dates on them. I know I have some vintage stuff hanging around.

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