It's Saturday March 30th and the snow is finally gone except for a pile in front of our wood storage. We had beautiful weather, near 60 degrees, and Yary began the day at the kiln with an incense offering at 7:00 a.m.
By the time I arrived at mid day, the first firing of our spring season was well underway.
That's Prof. Meredith Fyfe Day stoking the fire...above and below.
One visitor, Al, was passing by on his unicycle and dropped in to see what was going on.
We made good use of the pizza oven this time.
Many thanks to April, MCC ceramics student and Fio's Pizza employee. She brought all the ingredients and equipment and taught us how to make pizza.
Above is Serey Chou Tray learning to make pizza. Serey traveled all the way from Toronto to take a workshop from Yary and participate in the firing. Plus, she got up early in the morning to make bread dough and baked loaves of French bread in the kiln pizza oven! Thank you Serey, the bread was soooo delicious.
Pyrometers continue to challenge us, but gratefully we had the help of friends to troubleshoot and loan us equipment.
Collaboration made it a successful day!
The door is unbricked to reveal the wares from the second fire; the chamber is full to the max.
Maggie Holtzberg, of the LNHP, and Yary Livan enjoy looking over the newly fired wares while
they match lids to elephant pots.
This one gets a tiered pagoda like lid.
Yary makes a variety of elephant shapes and sizes, each unique, with no two exactly alike.
Yary's large pot sits amongst his Middlesex Community College ceramics I student's works.
The deep color and sheen on this student sculpture was
created directly from the wood fire, no glaze.
This charming egg sculpture is a student's first project.
This brawny little guy was also made by a ceramics I student.
You can see more pottery by YARY LIVAN at Western Avenue Studios in Lowell,
during HOLIDAY OPEN STUDIO December 1-2 & 8-9.
It was a cold day, and the wind was relentless. The kiln is so well insulated that it doesn't provide much warmth.
Middlesex students worked 2 hour shifts starting at 7 a.m.
The cranky pyrometer gave us trouble, despite the new longer probe.
We are grateful for help problem solving this! But this time we will again rely on the cones to verify the temperature.
There was a little warmth to be found on this side of the kiln because of the air intake openings.
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Sweet corn, grilled in the coals, keeps warm along side the tea pot.
The grilled corn was delicious!
Friends and visitors dropped by throughout the day and into the evening.
Yary shows visitors a jar with Khmer ornamentation.
A little less than 13 hours later the kiln reached cone 10.
After starting at 7 pm, we were able to shut down and clean up before 9 p.m.
What a relief! Our first firing lasted nearly 20 hours.
On Tuesday, Nov. 27, at noon we plan to open and unpack the kiln. It is packed without an inch to spare with MCC student and Master Yary art works.