THE FIRST FIRING WITH A RAINBOW

The first of October, the weather was forecasted to be mixed for the morning with showers hence the rainbow, so I put up a gazebo, that always means gusts of 50mph, but it was calm this time.

Started at 4 am complete blackness and everyone fast asleep, but the gas burners are very quite.

Temperature rise was as you would want it and soon I swapped from gas to wood at about 500 c both fireboxes more or less at the same time.

Firing was over without any problems and took 13 hours, I did spend an extra hour soaking at cone 9, I got cone 9 even at the back of the kiln bottom right, where it’s usually cooler. A positive out come. 2 days later I unpacked the kiln with no big mistakes, shocks or disappointments , Huzzah.

And after the unload it was time to hang out the washing ( batwashing ).

An interesting ( if you are petty like me ) issue came up at the last fair we did . One of our customers said that their straight mug kept the contents warmer for longer.

So I did an experiment , I boiled the same amount of water in a straight and the same amount in a bellied mug . The straight mug at 5mins lost 17.2 degrees c, the bellied mug 18.1, at 10 mins straight lost another 7 degrees the bellied 7.5, at 20 minutes , straight 9.1 bellied 8.6, at 30 mins straight mug had lost overall 37.9 the bellied mug 41 .5.

So they both lost heat at more or less the same rate until 20-30 mins when the straight mug was slightly warmer.

Best bet is to drink it in under 10 mins unless you like a luke warm drink.

Christmas events that we have lined up.

We have doing this for over 12 years

This is the local village event that we organise ( the missus and I) we have ; a wood engraver, glass worker , photographer, three ceramics crafts persons , Jewellery, Candles , seaweed art. A snood and hat knitter.

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Our favourite show of the year

Maybe see you there

We had another firing, which was relatively straight forward, the kiln got stuck at around 1150 c with a bit of swearing it shifted up to cone 9.

I still have the problem of a cooler spot at the back right despite making a lower temp glaze.

I had some pots from Melissa Graham fellow potter from Worthing, http://www.mellissagrahampottery.co.uk in the

bottom right front. The pressure was on for a good firing , it mostly turned out well .

The Bognor coastal art trail took place on the last two weekends of July, we seemed to have worked for months on it, but when it came along it flashed past in a second.

Visitor numbers were about the same ( one person less this year ) but sales were down very significantly, I think that people are holding on to their money for a rainy day, slight irony there, as it hasn’t rained for a long while. People were popping in for a chat and sitting in the shade with a drink and for a chat . We met some lovely folk and we enjoyed Kate Mercy (www.katemercy.com ) being our running mate . Kate works in glass, there are very close ties between the two crafts, heat and Silica being the obvious ones

Next event soon as we have recovered from this one, time to get on and make some pots, Lots of pottery friends are worried about firing in this dry parched time, all it would take is one little spark. I have a raku scheduled in for next Wednesday so will be very careful, I quite like having a house to live in.

Summer wouldn’t be summer without an art trail to show off my pottery.

This year’s trail starts on the 18th and 19th of July for the first weekend and then 25th and 26th July for the second weekend.

There are 35 artists at 24 venues on the coastal strip from Pagham to Elmer . It is a compact trail that could be done on foot or on a cycle.

There is a preview show at Reynolds furniture store High Street Bognor, 27th June to 4th July closed Sundays , where you can pick up a free guide, this features all the artists and easy to read maps.

I hope see you at venue number 22, we are sharing with Kate Mercy a superb glass artist.

I have been busy ( not a lot ) and have been neglecting the blog. We have done a massive show at Ardingly, ‘The south of England show . After a sweltering week in May where we were worried about hydration and seeking shade it went cooler and were under dressed, and got soaking wet. I was demonstrating with my little wheel and the kids made little models and pinch pots, some of those children were really good at it.

Next show is today as I am writing this , Sussex day ,at Parham house ( pronounced ‘ Pair em ‘)

Looks like it will be a good day, nice and sunny at 6.20 time of writing, will let you know how it went.

We were set up in the lovely secluded garden using the very tall Yew hedge as our back wall. After a million shows I think we have our stall as we want it .

We had some lovely people visit us and some lovely weather to help things along .

I even had some time before the event to have a little wander in the beautiful grounds, that’s the joy of getting there early.

Good bye Parham House , it’s well worth a visit just outside Cootham near Pulborough Sussex.

April 2026

My wood kiln has been telling me it is full up ready to fire for over two weeks. It’s finding the right weather and extended daylight, the darkness makes the flames and sparks look more menacing.

Finally came the weather and luckily my neighbour was out for the day.

Firing it this time was relatively straight forward, everything worked and a good start with 190 c overnight really helped. I stoked a big log in the box last thing, a bit like a yule log lasting 12 hours not 12 days .

Really happy with the results and surprise result was the dark brown, I’ve almost got a Khaki. The iron rich clay slip worked well.

More pots from this firng in the gallery .

We gather here today in a moment that is both enquiring and experimental.

After sieving Hazel ash from the Bakehouse at the Weald and Downland museum and ash from our wood burning stove, Ash logs from trees dead, sadly from Ash die back. I made them into glazes, same constituents but different ash. This is how it all worked out.

Hazel on the left ash on the right

Ash on the left hazel on the right, I painted a little stripe of iron oxide on the base of the ash sample .

After firing in a reduction atmosphere this is what they looked like glazed

The Ash glaze looks a little darker and is flecked with green and pink ( not visible in photo ), the hazel is very light. Both very nice but hardly any difference.

I will have to do another test on ash glaze using the Hazel test as the example. I think I may have some Oak and Chestnut somewhere.

UPDATE

In the next firing 28.6.26 I tested two more ash glazes out with the same amounts of ash, feldspar and china clay, this time it was Oak and Chestnut.

As you can see from the pictures the Chestnut turned out the best ( right ) the Oak was really dry, it may be better double dipped.

On the strength of this test , I have made up about 4 litres of glaze using up all my Chestnut ash.

I have been given an amount of Birch wood, recently harvested. With undercover space limited I have devised a test. One in ,one out .I have been told that the outside one will rot from within .

As usual will get back to you on this one .

Levels are off the scale.