First firing of the year

After a slow January spent testing new glazes, the kiln is finally loaded and ready. There's always a particular kind of anticipation before a firing - you've done the work, made the decisions, and now you hand it over to heat and time.

This batch is mostly bowls and small vessels. I've been drawn to rounder, lower forms lately - things that feel grounded. A few of them got a new glaze recipe I've been tinkering with since November. It's a satin finish that breaks nicely over texture, somewhere between blue and grey depending on the light.

What's in the kiln

Twelve pieces total. Six bowls in varying sizes, three small vases, two mugs, and one larger vessel that I'm honestly not sure about. It came off the wheel a little thicker than I wanted, but sometimes those surprises work out.

The glazes are a mix of reliable standbys and experiments. I always try to put at least two or three risks in every firing. If everything comes out exactly as planned, I probably wasn't pushing enough.

The waiting

The kiln takes about fourteen hours to reach temperature, then another day and a half to cool. That's the hardest part - the not looking. You learn patience in ceramics whether you want to or not.

I'll share the results when I open it up. Fingers crossed for that new glaze.