Back in the real world

Yolanda burning feathers on hot pots

Well, I am back in the real world, resting up to get back to the tasks at hand.   I did take a chance on the horsehair experience with one of my pots with great results, (packed up and unavailable for photos at the moment).  Soon I will post the gallery of pots I completed while I was there.

Oliver adding a feather to his pot

There was a lot more going on in the pottery studio that I chose not to participate in as I was valuing the time to work on projects long in my head.
Along with the arranged learning activities, there is opportunity to racu fire with experienced "racuers"  and gas fire in the studio gas kiln.  Gary Lee, from Rising Sun, organizes 2 gas firings during the week for those wanting to participate.  Most bring bisque pots for the first one at least.  The results on the first gas firing were great and I heard lots of oohs and ahhs from over in my carving corner.
The racu folks squeezed in plenty of firings in spite of the use of the kiln for sager firings.  There are several talented potters who know what they are doing with racu that brought things to fire.... they are looking good.  I particularly like the fruit and veggie folks that Yolanda brought with her, under glazed with Speedball underglazes and a clear crackle on top.

Yolanda's racu fruits and veggies

  I made 3 mermaid tails after doing all I could do on the woodsy things things to finish up in my Winston friend's racu kiln using colorful under glazes I have on hand.

The last night we set our things up in a vacant room for viewing and purchase.  Personally there wasn't much I was willing to let go of until I gaze on them awhile.