Bisquing and Building

Today Antra and I are bisque firing some of our work together, with some help from Aedan... You see, I've never bisqued in a gas kiln before, and this kiln isn't like the ones Antra usually uses, either. Give me an electric kiln, I'd have no problems, whether it's an old one like mine that uses Orton cones, or a newer one where you can electronically program every step of the firing. Gas is a different story, so I'm glad to have the company and the help, even though it's not actually that difficult. So today is back and forth, back and forth, checking the temperature every half our or so, building a little more, checking again, build more, check... It breaks up the day nicely, but perhaps a little too much. It's been difficult to really get settled into the pieces I'm working on today.

As for what I'm working on...
I decided yesterday that maybe completing 9 out of my 10 original ideas would be sufficient. There is this one piece I just can't get excited about making, so I think maybe I should let the idea simmer awhile longer before I use it. Besides that, a few days ago I had a new idea, so one of the smaller pieces I made suddenly became more interesting, and I added quite a bit to it. Here is the picture:

The middle piece is the only one I was intending to make at first. And I'm still debating over the smaller piece, whether I should use this one or a different (but similar) one.

So, all 9 pieces are well on their way now, either drying or bisquing or halfway built. It's exciting to know I'll finally raku soon, but sad to realize I only have a couple more days to build if everything is going to be dry in time. I have to say, I'm really enjoying the work I'm doing here. I like making these little vignettes, using more than one vessel to express a more complex idea, rather than just making cute little Emergelings all the time. These new pieces are much more expressive, and feel more like they ought to be displayed in a gallery, rather than sold at an art fair. I'm glad to have that balance. I've enjoyed the art fairs, I certainly have every intention of continuing to do them... But I am also glad to also be making some things which, I feel, have the potential to fill out a different aspect of my career.