Two Weeks?

It is hard to believe my time here is nearly halfway gone already. I feel like I've done so much, but at the same time, there is so much more I would do if I had more time. Most people stay here for about 3 months rather than just one, and I'm glad that I make relatively small pieces and use a relatively fast firing process. It would be nearly impossible to undertake a larger project in so little time, but for me, this is sufficient. For now! I'm already anxious to find new places to visit and work, and possibly to return here someday.

I'm still building new pieces this week, but I will probably be done with all that by Saturday or Sunday at the latest, to make sure everything has time to dry, then be bisqued, glazed, and fired. I actually might run my first bisque tomorrow, but there is some question about who needs to use which kiln and when, and rather I should bisque all my different clays at the same temperature. Japanese raku is fired at a much lower temperature than American raku... but the Japanese process itself and the differences between the two processes deserve their own post, later.

For now, back to work...