This Could Be The Last Time

Possibly the last firing of my gas kiln- 24 years of loyal service,around 800 firings to cone 9,the basis of my professional life as a potter. Not that the new kiln is here [still stuck in customs],so I'm not taking the old one out just yet. A good firing,with good reduction and even temperature,partly because of the contents- 4 large sinks and refires of Meir's pots from the last anagama,so the stack was quite loose.
The pictures show 2 of Meir's beautiful teapots before and after refiring.
We have been lurching from Holiday to Shabbat seemingly for as long as I can remember,but this comes to an end this evening/tomorrow with Simchat Torah, usually a riotous affair in Tsfat- so Happy Simchat Torah- I'm off for a last sit in my Succah...

Refires

It's always a good idea to have a picture of pots before refiring them,to see if they actually improve- so here are Meir's pots, mentioned in last blog. The idea is to melt the ash that has landed on the pots at too low a temperature in the anagama firing.

Up and Running

Tel Hai graduates Netzer and Shelley in their brand new studio in Poriya Illit outside Tiveria. Well worth a visit- their work has always been of a high standard,and they already have lots of well-made,interesting and resonably-priced pots in their showroom. Shelley,who taught last year in Tel Hai,gives pottery courses,if you're interested. Netzer refitted an old Laser gas kiln with brick and an arch - it seems to work better than my attempt at kiln restoration!
My new kiln,by the way,is in Haifa,patiently awaiting the outcome of bureaucratic wrangling,which suits me fine since I have a lot of other things to see to,apart from every other day being a Holiday,which will continue 'til late October. I did fire a bisc the other day with some sinks,and now have to glaze and fire them together with a bunch of Meir's pots from the last anagama that he wants refired.
Happy New Year,and a [spiritually] productive Yom Kippur.