Plates in Progress
Often people will ask me. “how long does it take to make a plate, or a cup? That is a hard question to answer, because the answer really is: “It depends”.
I usually don’t make one cup at a time. I will make 8 or more cups at a time, and then wait for them to dry (1 week or more), then I put them in the kiln to bisque fire them. (Bisque firing removes the water content in the clay, so that the water in the glaze will penetrate the clay wall and adhere to the surface of the pot allowing for a water tight surface. The entire bisque firing, from beginning to end, takes 2.5 to 3 days). Next, I wash them off, wax the bottom, and glaze them. And finally they go into the glaze kiln for another 3 days.
So to answer that question, whether I make 1 cup or 8 cups, it will take about 2 or more weeks.
My teaching and “mommy” schedule is keeping me pretty busy, which means my studio time takes a back seat. I did manage to get a few things made in the studio the other day, while Henri was napping. Love nap time! I am posting a couple of images of some plates and two pitchers that are drying and awaiting the first kiln firing.
