This bottle was fired with my friend Scott Cornish, in his 2 chambered train/bourry box/cantenary arch wood/soda kiln west of Slippery Rock near New Galilea, PA.
These bottles were gas/salt fired back in 2008. They are the reason I keep returning to the
flask form.
fresh thrown bowls, drying on the ware cart.
Bisqued bottles await firing. Wood, Gas Salt or Reduction. So many choices.
I have been returning to a couple of successful forms. This time last year I was in the same space and things feel familiar. This time of year I end up making pots that relate to what's happening, like beer tankards, whiskey bottles, jugs, big soup bowls and bread plates. Aint much to do round here when the weather turns sour, except eat, drink and make pots...I think I'll stay.
The white slip on the bowl forms are a version of
Val Cushings S O T:
30 Grolleg
20 XX Sagger (the original called for EPK)
20 T-6
30 Custer
I wanted to see what ball clay would do to this slip. I've used it in/on all kinds of pots and firings. Though it tends to peal away from pots when you brush it on a leather hard pot, I have had success with dipping and pouring it on leather hard or brushing/wiping it on wet pots on the wheel. It has worked quite well on plates with shell flashing. The substitution of ball clay in the recipe may affect the flashing affects. The flashing comes from the high alumina content of the 70 percent kaolin slip(and the atmosphere of the kiln), but I'm thinking the changes will be minimal. I'm hoping the ball clay will aid in leather hard application. Time will tell, as we'll be firing soon. I've been using SOT on half of the work, including some pots I'll fire with a celadon or tenomoku glaze in reduction. The slip will fire white under a clear or glossy glaze.
The flasks(5 of the 12 I made) have been
bisqued and are ready for a fire. They were made with a light firing stoneware and then dipped in a slip made from
Laguna's B-mix for cone 10. My friend
Donn uses B-mix, and orders it dry in 50 lb bags, so I'm trying it as a slip. All in due time.
I will most likely gas/salt fire this work here in Smicksburg. I hope to keep a few for other firings, as I've posted before.
Well, that's enough for now, I hope. Stay warm!
I came accross this jug at the Phily Museum last spring, and since there's not much going on in the studio today, I thought I'd share it. Thanks to my friend Jim Harris for providing a placeto crash and touring us about showing us the ropes. Ah, Philly! 
Stoneware vases with poured flashing slip. 
