38th Annual Small Image Show

Gallery 21 is hosting the 38th Annual Small Image show, organized by the Spanish Village Arts Center in Balboa Park. It is a unique show where artists across various media were presented a challenge of utilizing a small image (less than 10" in size) in the widest range of visual expression. This year's juror was Karen McGuire, curator of exhibitions for the city of Carlsbad's William D. Cannon Art Gallery.

I am happy to announce that two of my saggar porcelain pieces were juried in. Show starts on the 23rd, it is a Wednesday. Each artists are required to sit in for half a day. My time slot is opening day on the 23rd, 11am - 1:30pm. I'd be happy to give you the tour !

Spring Barrel Firing

Our little group finally got together for our first 2012 barrel firing. As it turned out, the scant rain Southern California got this winter mostly fell on our scheduled week-ends. So we cashed in all our weather karma points for a gorgeous first week-end of May !
At this point, we all are barrel firing veterans. Within two hours pots were prepped and barrels were loaded, ready for Rose to officiate the Lighting. We fed the fire for two hours, using oak wood in the second hour. It was a mellow afternoon, under the shade of a big tree. By the time embers covered the top of the barrels, we had broken into a light dinner, picnic-style. Rose and Bill covered the top with sawdust in the evening for a slow cooling overnight.
The next day was filled with oohs and aahs. Interestingly one of the barrels did not fire as hot as the other. We could tell from the intact aluminum foil of some of the saggars at the bottom of the barrel. We surmised the embers did not fall all the way down to surround the bottom pots. It can happen if the loading at the top is too constrained.
But overall the firing yielded some beautiful marks on the pots.

The Stacking

The Lighting by Rose

The Feeding

The Feeding - Part 2 !

The Smoldering

The Pieces

 

Raku kiln, version 2.0

New Raku kiln

Bye, bye metal trash can, you've been replaced for a nicer, fancier model. Soft bricks rings to modulate the height according to pieces. Light top out of ceramic fiber for easy lifting, and a big flue to take small pieces through. And a huge space inside ! 23" diameter, great for large platters.

I took it out on a test drive last week. First ride was a saggar firing, baked potato style (see former post). Firing was done in an hour to 1400F, then I shut down the gas, plugged the holes and let it cool down naturally. It took about 4 hours to 250F, I unloaded the next morning. Aluminum foil had disintegrated to leave wonderful orange/red pots.

Square Bottles

Vase with australian fern imprint

Second ride was a regular Raku firing. I placed several pieces with crackle and copper glazes, as well as a Naked Raku piece. Again, the firing went well. I took out the Naked Raku piece at 1350F, after 45 mins, then I proceeded to increase the temperature to close to 1850F in another 20 mins or so. Venturi burner could definitely handle the kiln size, that was the true test. I am very happy with the results. Here are two of my signature Orb series.

Crackled Orb

Shadow Orb with pedestal

Ok, back to the studio ! I need more Raku pieces. I am all fired up ! :)

   

Making baked potatoes...

I don't remember who coined the term, but that's what Eduardo Lazo called it during his demo of ferric chloride saggar. It was a fun distraction from the Raku firings, and the processis is very simple and stepwise. Like a cooking recipe ! So let's make some baked potatoes, shall we ?

Eduardo making his baked potato

Ingredients:
1) bisqued pots, either burnished or with terra sigillata
2) solution of copper sulfate
3) solution of ferric chloride (Radioshack sells one)
4) spray adhesive
5) aluminum foil
6) organic/inorganic matter: horsehair, rock salt, steelwool, sugar, oxide powder, seeds, cut flowers,...whatever you feel like trying

Directions:
1) paint the pots with the copper sulfate solution
2) cut a piece of aluminum foil, big enough to wrap around your pot. Make a ball then gently flatten it back. The purpose is to crinkle it so it creates air pockets around the pot.
3) spray the adhesive lightly on one face of the foil and add the organic/inroganic matter of choice, in any pattern you want. The adhesive will keep most of it in place.
4) paint the pot generously with ferric chloride and wrap it with the foil, like a baked potato. That's your saggar.
5) Fire in a gas kiln, between 1000F to 1500F in 1 to 2 hours. Both the firing time and the firing temperature can affect the colorations.
6) Cool slowly in the kiln to let the colors develop, overnight being optimum.
7) Sponge the ashes off the cold pots and let them dry for two days to let the colors settle. Then wax/treat the pots. Renaissance wax is the best for high-end waxing. For a matte finish, use a light dusting with a matte acrylic spray then wax.

At the workshop, because of time constraints, Eduardo opted for a speed firing (1350F in 1h, cooling to 200F in 3h), and frankly we had some good results. But take a peek for yourself, that's what I brought back home.