Finally lots of images from this weekend woodfiring are available at these sites: cristasclaycreations.blogspot.com/ and mjhillartist.blogspot.com/

With all the chaos of the woodfiring this week I still managed to make it into the studio to finish up my latest piece in ceramis. I'll be working on variations of this tall vase for the rest of the semester.

This weekend was a doozy. Professor Rigsby invited his upper level ceramics class to participate in firing his wood fire kiln. We loaded up the kiln on Wednesday and began the firing on Thursday at 6pm. We took shifts stoking the fire and gradually raising the temperature to over 1200 C on Saturday morning (2am). Unfortunately I have a crappy camera and I'm waiting to upload images from my friends cameras.

I really had a great time. I've never seen a wood fire kiln let alone helped to fire one. It was a lot like camping to me. It was a lot of work but it didn't feel like it because as the saying goes about many hands. At times we would all be sitting around watching the fire lick the pots. Coralie and I went out and bought weenies and the components for roasting smores. Mmmmmmm ...that was a yummy idea. Crista had never had NEVER had a smore before!

After over three days of firing we still have to wait a few more days before we can see our pieces. Its really an exercise in patience.

I'm back in the metal shop trying to learn to weld for my next project in sculpture.

I was impressed with the range and quality of work of all my peers in this last critique. Here is my work that was on display. I created a structure to weave disgarded refuse into. My roommates are glad that I am done with this one and that the garage is back to normal ...for now ;-)

Here we go again. The first glaze firing of the year was last week. Not that I had anything in it but its always a good idea to help out in the loading.