Making ceramics is a long process that goes through many steps. It requires patience, flexibility and time.
The Art Spot has a Olympic front loader kiln that only runs to cone 04 bisqueware and cone 6, midrange glaze fire.
The Art Spot only allows two types of clay, available at the front desk for purchase.
The Art Spot does not do outside firings, only items made in the ceramic studio with the provided clay.
Every ceramic piece must be fired twice, here are the steps:
First firing (Bisque firing): cone 04, 1, 945 degrees, this firing occurs when greenware items are dried out and placed on the greenware shelf to be loaded.
Second fIring (Glaze firing): cone 5/6, 2,200 degrees, this firing occurs when your bisque ware pieces are glazed and placed on the glazed shelf to be glaze fired.
Each firing takes a total of 48-60 hours to reach temp and completely cool.
The kiln can NOT be unloaded or opened until it is cooled. The ceramic kiln is operated by the Art Spot ceramic studio technician.
If you are visiting and can not finish the entire ceramics process, you must speak with the instructor before singing up for a class, to determine if finishing and shipping option is available.
There is a 60 day shelf period in the ceramic studio. If items are not claimed or picked up within 60 days, those items will be donated.
The Art Spot is not responsible or liable for broken, lost or stolen ceramics.
Firing Schedule
When there are enough items for a FULL kiln load, the kiln will be loaded with the appropriate firing, either Bisque or Glaze firing.
There is no set firing schedule, it all depends on the amount of items waiting to be fired.
Please note that firings may take one to three weeks for the first bisque firing and one to three weeks for a glaze firing.
When the studio is busy, there is typically one firing a week and it alternates between a bisque firing and glaze firing.
If a wet greenware piece is set on the shelf and the kiln is being loaded, it will not be loaded because it is wet. All greenware pieces must be bone dry in order to fire.
Ceramic Terms
Greenware: Pottery that has not been bisque fired.
Bisqueware: Unglazed ware fired to a temperature sufficient to harden but not mature the body.
Bisque fire: Preliminary firing to harden the body, usually at about cone 010, prior to glazing and subsequent glaze firing.
Glaze: A liquid suspension of finely ground minerals, that after being applied to the bisque-fired clay form and heated to the proper temperature, melt to form a glassy coating on the clay surface.
Glaze fire: A firing cycle to the temperature at which the glaze materials will melt to form a glasslike surface coating. This is usually at the point of maximum body maturity, and is usually considerably higher than the bisque fire.
