Come by and Take Part in the Unloading

Normally, I'd be up in the morning today to begin unbricking my wood-fired kiln, but this weekend I'm giving my customers the chance to experience seeing the pots for the first time. I'm unloading Saturday morning beginning around 9 a.m. - the start of our annual R.D. Mahan Kiln Opening and Turkey Roast here at From the Ground Up (Oct. 5 and 6).

For me, unloading a kiln is significant, especially the wood kiln, since there is so much labor involved, and so much that can happen which is beyond my control. I enjoy spending time with each pot as it's removed from its place in the kiln. I think about why it looks the way it looks, what it might have looked like if it got more ash, was behind another pot or other such things.

"This one got a bit more reduction...."

"I like what the ash did here...."

"Nice color on this one...."

Of course, there's disappointments, too, and I usually take a moment to mourn the loss of that pot before moving on to the next one. Pottery making can be frustrating. Pots collapse, crack, warp. Glazes run, crawl, shiver. Kiln overfire, underfire. So, when a really nice pots come out of a kiln, it's very satisfying.

Come on by Saturday morning and take part. We live and work at 172 Crestwood Road, Robbins, NC, 27325. Ten minutes south of Seagrove, NC. See you then.

Michael

Looking in from the back of the kiln

The pots at the front

I really want to pick up that one at the far right.