This past weekend Linda & Charlie Riggs came to Mudfire in Decatur, GA to teach a workshop about alternative firing techniques.  The participants were to bring pots that were bisque fired and ready to be transformed.  After a short introduction and some very important safety tips we moved right to the kiln yard to start playing.

The first treatment was with Ferric Chloride, sugar and horse hair wrapped in aluminum foil.  This was by far the most dangerous method as Ferric

Charlie discussing Ferric Chloride

Chloride is very harmful to the skin and other body tissues but with proper safety precautions it will give beautiful results.  Ferric Chloride will return a range of colors from a light cream color, to browns and the deep reds that were so prevalent throughout the first firing.  The colors are heat sensitive and can be controlled by kiln placement and proximity to other pieces.  I wrapped a small fern frond and two young maple leaves on my pot, the leaves burned off leaving a carbon mark which when heated with a blow torch turned iridescent.  All of the pots were beautiful and nobody suffered any breakage because of very minimal thermal shock.

We also did a one step naked raku firing and a two step naked raku firing.  These had more mixed results because of the slips sticking to the pots or breakage due to thermal shock but what the heck, it’s a workshop.  For control over the outcome two step naked raku would be my preference; it seems to me you have more control over the results because you can mask, carve or do splatter patterns.  One step naked raku is easy and when successful the results can be amazingly beautiful.  Actually, even when unsuccessful the results can be beautiful as evidenced by the person who accidentally ended up with a black on black piece that was striking.

We also did a firing of pots that were decorated with horse hair immediately after being removed from the kiln.  I filmed this process and posted the video here. Although I did the pots in the video a few months ago and loved the results I also learned quite a few tricks from Charlie & Linda about how to get better results.  Participants were also given the opportunity to spray the hot pots with Ferric Chloride after applying the horse hair.  Which ads some dramatic color to the pieces.

Linda showed us how to make a newspaper mummy sagger using thick slip and newspaper.  It was fun to see a bunch of adults sitting on the ground smearing mud onto newspaper.  I used too much sawdust in my saggar which resulted in a very dark pot but I did get some interesting blushes which make me want to do more with saggers & pit firing.

Charlie did a lot of throwing demonstrations throughout the weekend, which is something I love to watch.  I always learn something from watching another potter throw.  Of course I came home and started experimenting with what I learned.  No matter how experienced a ceramic artist is it’s always possible to get ideas from others.

Linda & Charlie are a very fun couple who don’t seem to take things too seriously, they are there to have a good time and to help everyone else do the same.  It was a very full weekend of learning, playing and laughing.