Upwey Potters Soda Firing Number Ten

March 2002

The Upwey Potters are a group of ceramic artists who live & work in Upwey, Dorset, England, making and selling their work and running Workshops.

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This page gives images of Bill's pots from the 10th soda kiln firing

 

First peek under the arch.
Note the soda crust on the bricks

 

Front view showing two layers of pots.

Close up of bottom shelf.
The pattern on the middle front pot was applied using thin rope, but evokes a field of wheat

 

The two tall front pots.
The left vase was facetted using a spoke-shave, a carpenter's tool, stripping ribbons of clay from the surface while leather hard. This reveals the coarse body of the clay.
The right vase was textured by holding a blade against the rotating pot, the chattering blade scallops nicks off the surface as it travels up and down the height.
Both these textures are highlighted by the soda glazing, which picks up on the rougher surfaces.
Notice the pyrometric cone in the centre, this small pillar is formulated to melt and bend over at 1280, which is the top temperature reached.

 

 

Left & Right sides of the top shelf, showing the top of the bag walls and gap down into the lower layer.
The small "kiln-filler" pots are placed to utilise gaps between larger pots, but also serve to modify the flow of flames and soda vapour between the ware.
Note the white tabs of alumina/china clay, these resist the soda and prevent the pots fusing the to shelf. A watered down slop is used to coat the shelves, props and inside face of the door.
 

 

Close up view of bottom layer.
The pots are glazed internally with light oatmeal glaze, this domomite rich glaze is usually matt, but the soda fluzes it and the result is a transparent gloss. If a normally glossy glaze is used there is a danger of the extra flux causing the glaze to flow off the pot.
Three Soda vessels, showing lighter patches where the soda has had a greater impact.
 

These two pots show texture created during the turning of the leather-hard pots.

These two pots show larger areas of brighter gloss, due to even exposure to soda and slightly higher temperature, coupled with better reduction (which is the restriction of available oxygen during the firing)
 
Three small vases, from the bottom shelf, showing the wonderful variations in finish.
 

 

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