the beginning of the afterglow...

opening a kiln is always an emotional time
waves of contradictory thoughts following one after another
uncertainty and certainty side by side, sometimes mocking each other sometimes not
it takes time to actually see what you have
accept it and then begin the process of decision making
these two I may hold onto for myself...

rest

with the firing completed it's recovery time...
it takes a while to feel rested again...
it's a long haul
then comes the unloading and hopefully
many wonderful surprises...
we'll see...

firing

the door during the first day of preheating...
today all was mudded over for the 2nd day of preheating
looking all gussied up for the dance...
going to bed now at 6:30 to sleep till 12 or 1 am
the firing will then begin under a sky of stars and a sliver moon...
wish me luck... it's a long push alone...

nearly ready to go...

for some time I have wanted to fire a kiln of nearly all cups and bowls
compare and contrast the results, enjoy the bounty
circumstances have given me that chance...
I have a studio filled with bowls like this, along with many cups of a similar nature,
nearly all ready for loading in a day or two...
excitement is building as the Demarest firing approaches
calm, quiet excitement, tinged of course, with the requisite nervousness...
make the cone packs... relax...
be still, be calm and trusting... listen to the sound of the fire calling
that's what I tell myself...

porcelain bowl

a porcelain bowl from the gallery
as the winter settles itself in
 the traffic seems to end in the gallery...
this bowl, fired next to the fire box,
has the smokey grey of carbon
along with the nice golden run of melted ash...

Demarest firing

continuing the glazing and setting of cups and bowls,
readying for the Demarest firing...
long road with more to go...

window3

window 3

window 2

a warmer window, a later sleep...

back

heading back  from where it came...

alluvial plains?

alluvial plains
or the bottom of the wood stove pan
all the same...

windows

condensation on my bedroom window in the morning...
these images change each day
until, of course, the freeze comes...
then it is time to consider moving in off the sun porch...

Cups

my cups runneth over...
onward to the kiln of cups
why did the cup cross the road?
how many cups does it take
to have a cup?
is that a cup in your pocket or are you happy to see me?
knock, knock... anyone left in there????
#TheRoadToDemarest