ANOTHER FIRST

I have been at making pots for some time now and that includes the loading and firing of thousands of kilns, electric, gas, salt and wood and through all of that experience, I managed to stumble on yet another first. The other day, I fired off a bisque and the next morning I cracked the lid and put a four inch round post on the rim to prop open the kiln, I was on my way out to mail a group of packages and thought to get the cool on its way to cooling down. I got back to the kiln several hours later and as I was opening the kiln with my coat still on, it brushed the post which plummeted into the kiln with a resounding crash. Instead of just hitting a small blank, undecorated v-bowl or teabowl it managed to land on the wing of a new form I had made a week ago as a new Oribe glaze test. You can see the resulting damage in the photo and though I contemplated just going ahead and glazing it for the glaze reference, I decided against it as I really need the space provided I know the outcome of the pot itself, not the surface so I am firing a yunomi in its stead. I can't help but think that accidents will happen but this is another first I could have done without.

(Despite this momentary setback, I am not done with this idea and form and as soon as I have a few extra minutes I plan on throwing and building another.)