Firing at St. Pete Clay Co.

So this past week I fired the recently rebuilt soda kiln at the St. Petersburg Clay Company. It was a very successful firing as far as I was concerned. Not perfect, but when are they...but it was great firing. I wasn't exactly at my personal best however. The day I set out to load I lifted a heavy tub of bisque ware the wrong way and seriously messed up my back. It's still in pretty bad shape. So if it wasn't for my lovely, patient and endlessly helpful wife, this firing may not have been such a success. Well, being that I could barely walk let alone lift kiln shelves. Yesterday I had my first acupuncture session, which was an interesting experience I have to say. I think it helped, but I'm not doing jumping jacks or anything yet.

Anyway, back to the kiln firing. Matt Long, Prof. of Ceramics at University of Mississippi and one of my former clay professors, and his students came down a couple of months ago for some hit the ground running, mad wood-firing sessions at St. Pete Clay. While kilns were cooling they rebuilt the soda kiln. A couple dozen cases of Busch Beer and some bluegrass music can entice some folks into some serious clay related nuttiness. Anyways, the kiln works like a charm and I thank Charlie Parker, co-owner of St. Pete Clay, for giving me the chance to fire.

Below a couple of the nice pots I got out of the firing....