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January and February are
usually somewhat slow months for orders/commissions so I use the time to try
out new ideas and do a fair amount of testing. In case it isn't crystal clear,
I tend to do a fair amount of testing based on iron and copper glazes.
Honestly, the potential for both is nearly infinite and the result are
generally exactly what I am after. I recently tried altering an old soda based
clear glaze I have by adding copper to it and didn't add a pinch of iron to
temper the color. The initial results were quite good, giving me an Oribe style
glaze, very similiar to the old lepidolite Oribe. I was rather pleased and
moved onto the next phase of testing.
I threw a group of
yunomi and white slipped them, using hakeme and kushime style decoration. Once bisque,
I glazed up four of the yunomi and ended up firing them and various parts of
the kiln. I guess I had forgotten a crucial part of this narrative, the
original tests were not on white slip, but rather straight on plain stoneware pods and rings. What came out
of the kiln was a GREEN made brighter and greener because of the white slip. A
simple overlooked issue, though now I know what to expect. I am thinking I will
reduce the copper content and add .5% red iron to lessen the impact. It is not
a bad green, but in person, it sure is green.
"What are facts but
compromises? A fact merely marks the point where we have agreed to let
investigation cease." Bliss Carman (1861-1929)
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