what to do with an ikea bin

this is such a brilliant idea I had to post it an article by Meridith Hinchcliffe about how to make a raku kiln from an ikea bin with stefan jakob..

how does this go again...

I'm firing my little gas kiln today. I headed out this morning to light up very bleary and red eyed... really this little virus has been lingering a tad too long for me...over it...anywho light up proceedure followed to a tee then the gas ran out luckily I'm in between providers and have a spare tank.. So I looked in my log it's been 12 months since my last firing...wow! that's too long... anyway better go turn things up a notch.

Baby's all a glow! well cone '8' went down about 3.30pm but i have my suspicions that its something else  masquerading as an 8 coz 9 hasn't budged yet its now 5pm. had lots of smoke and flame from the chimney so its looks good for some carbon in the shino, also switched the bottles #1 is freezing up and I've opened up the dampers a bit too. 

That's more like it 7pm and 9 is starting to tip- so I have no idea what "8" was maybe I should have worn my glasses!! and sort out my cones... I'm trying the finishing off with dropping some bits of timber in thanks to Joe Finch's suggestion lots to look forward to this week... 

9.30pm all finished cone 10 down wacked in another piece of wood for good luck, I flashed the torch in to have a look at the glaze mmmmmm yummy glossy stuff happening.....here's to opening on monday....

fishy started it all

fishy started it all, I wanted to make an outdoor table and decided to use the designs from a blue & white workshop at the jam factory.. with that idea in mind the tiles came about to work as part of the decoration and surface texture. 

then roll on into the next project a wall piece for the oz asia festival, 'planes trains and ferry boat rides' about my trip to hong kong for my birthday a few years ago, we stayed with my sisters relative on Lama island and spent a lot of time travelling in 1 week. 

roll that on into the next tile project all kevins doing and what has turned out to be a very interesting challenge 2 large outdoor tables a commission for kevins friend and art fan.. with the loose theme of 'tuscany' and bright colourings of course my interpretation of that is a lend of landscape painters particularly cezanne and the cyprus trees, the design again interlaces the brush work and the large geometric tile shapes creating the surface interest.

chugga lugga

Just chugging along this week, the TTG show opening was Tues night, a tough call to chat with not much of a voice..but it was a good one some nice pieces and congrats sandy on your sale..

Well the glaze test shrinkage is done for the tables they'll be out saturday along with a couple of market plates cars and the old slip trail dec.. 

As per usual I have more than one project on the go, I've included some tile ideas 'very much in the planning stage' for my garden wall panels, they'll be along the same dec. technique as the fishy table and planes trains and ferry boat rides wall panels. 

Also some sketches for pit fire pieces something traditional and fairly small I think, that's september 6th @ Belindas place cost is $10 for club..

studio tour 'hello'

a quick walk around our workshop space we have one glass artist, 2 fabric groups, members and student clay space.. 4 electric kilns, 2 gas kilns currently being processed for gas connection and our trusty raku kiln.