Tuesday 8 May 2018

May be in May.....



                                                                 Waiting........ Waiting.....
                                                                       
                                                                        AND THEN!



This week my beautiful new Rohde electric kiln was delivered!
It is a heavy bundle at 500kg.
The transportation has been a substantial task!
I would advise anyone considering making such a purchase
to sort out the delivery before ordering such a big, heavy, 
precious treasure just so that there are no surprises. 
While the transport was costly it was well looked after and arrived without a blemish.
Several people have also asked me, 
"how difficult will replacement elements, thermocouple etc be to obtain?"
Perhaps Paul Good from Interdec could leave a response
 to that question here for those who are interested?





This kiln has come all the way across the water
from the Rohde factory in Germany
to Interdec in South Australia
where Paul Good 
put it on a truck bound for NSW
and then Wildman Cranes delivered it 
to me at Lilli Pilli Studio, Hazelbrook.
This kiln is better travelled than me!


                                                 

I had to get organised before it arrived 
as once in place this 500 kg beauty 
would not be easily moved so
I have been modifying shelves with wheels 
and making storage for kiln furniture so
that it can be easily accessed when loading the kiln. 
(I love being organised like this when I can manage it.)
These shelves can fit behind the kiln 
and can be moved out when needed.
 It is important to me that everything is flexible in my studio
so that the space can be adjusted 
to suit different making needs and numbers of inspired students.

The crane guys were amazing.
They came and checked out the drive 
and the studio with its special requirements for delivery  
prior to bringing it to Lilli Pilli Studio.



                                            

                                                       (double click video for full screen)


                                                 





The kiln has a pull out draw/floor 
so that the kiln can be packed outside the chamber 
and slides in when fully packed.
This will make loading a much easier process for my old back.
I am hopeful that it will be more efficient in energy usage too.


                                          
                                                      (double click video for full screen)

Now I need to brace myself for another learning curve 
as I explore how this new heart of the studio/ friend /studio assistant works 
before I start teaching again in late July.


                                             
I have named this kiln "Betty" 
because it was given to me by my dear mother-in-law, Betty.


I would never have been able to have such an amazing kiln without her generosity
Now every time I open a new firing I can say 
"Thank you Betty"
I hope this "Betty" will be as strong, beautiful, efficient, 
generous and productive as the Betty who gave her to me.

Thank you to all who got her here safely

 All classes are now fully booked at Lilli Pilli Studio
for Term 3, July 23rd to Sept 1st
         but please email me if you would like  
to go on my waiting list
for Term 4, 2018 or 2019

Tuesday 1 May 2018

April is breathing new life into the studio


                                    Life never seem to slow down around here!

                          Harry kiln was taken to his new home at the start of April
                          which ended up being only in the next suburb


I packed him up safe and sound


and with the help of Steve and friends Bree now has a big kiln 
and once a few renovations are done  she should be cooking



I managed to get my little mobile wood kiln, "Rocky",
firing with gas for the first time this month 
and it is very efficient.

 I started with a bisque fire 
but I quickly discovered that
this little guy is just a bit TOO enthusiastic
to comfortably fire a safe bisque!

After watching the first load explode
I ended up repacking and firing to 300˚ with the lid off.
Can you believe it got to 300˚
in about 2 hours with the lid off ???!!!!
(With the lid on it was about 20 minutes.)
Keeping it open was the only way I could slow it down
in order to stop things exploding.

(I won't be trying to bisque in this kiln in the future!)

Once it got to 300˚  I put the lid on
and it was all done a couple of hours later.

I look forward to doing some cone 10 reduction glaze firings in the near future
and also some raku with my students.
It is a fabulous little raku kiln.





This week my beautiful new Rohde electric kiln left Adelaide 
on a truck bound for NSW it is a heavy bundle at 500kg.
The transportation is a substantial task! 





In anticipation of its arrival 
I have been getting organised. 
Once in place this 500 kg beauty 
will not be easily moved so
I have been modifying shelves, attaching wheels 
and making storage for kiln furniture so
that it can be easily accessed when loading the kiln. 
I love being organised like this when I can manage it.
These shelves can fit behind the kiln 
and can be moved out when needed.
 It is important to me that everything is flexible in my studio
so that the space can be adjusted 
to suit different making needs and numbers of inspired students.




Hopefully the new kiln will arrive in early May 
and I will make a special welcome post about it.

AND...
The garden is doing its Autumn Zygo thing




                                After an immensely busy start to the year with family and travel
                                 I have been feeling the lack of time in my sacred creative space.
                                   It is great to now be settled back into studio work full of ideas.

                                            Here is the link to my quiz master husband on
                                                         Million Dollar Hot Seat 
                                                                    aired last week,
                                          filmed when we were in Melbourne in February