Opening the kiln.

Today I steeled myself to open the kiln. This piece is the one that I shared every day for a month whilst I built and shaped it.

I am thrilled with the quality of the surface, it has a lovely fragility, though in fact it is extremely strong! It has a real depth due to colours that I put into the clay and the layering of the coloured slip. It has slumped beautifully, somehow sitting itself down. The detail is perfect, exactly as I hoped it would be. Thank you kiln!
Phew… I really ought to be able to open that door by now, without my whole body trembling!

p1010946Walking it out gradually.
p1010955Detail.
p1010969Pheeewwwww
p1010966