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Shield studio pottery

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Large slipped piece fired with @oxforduniversityki

Large slipped piece fired with @oxforduniversitykilns and preparing last firing before #handmadeoxford #handmadeinbritain I will be exhibiting at Waterperry Oxford on 16-18 June. If you are planning on coming let me know I have a few discounted tickets left 🏺👍

Preparing for https://www.handmadeinbritain.co.uk/

Preparing for https://www.handmadeinbritain.co.uk/event/handmade-oxford-2023/ I have a very limited number of free tickets and a small number of discounted ticket DM me if you want more details about the tickets, you would need to book in advance. Dates are June 16-18. #handmadebritain #handmadeinoxford #shinoglaze #ashglaze #tenmoku #highfire #woodfiredceramics

After a stint of very high failure rates it looks

After a stint of very high failure rates it looks like we are back on track with successful bisque firings. Adjustments in drying approach seemed to do the trick. You think you are all over it and then clay shows you who’s boss. Kinda like that!

Wytham woods is alive with activity, not only the

Wytham woods is alive with activity, not only the wildlife but the build of a new anagama kiln emerging from the rubble where the dragon kiln once stood. @oxforduniversitykilns are posting the progress of the build most days, a privilege to visit today and see progress. #thingstocome 🏺🔥

Another firing scheduled for tomorrow in preparati

Another firing scheduled for tomorrow in preparation for #handmadeoxford part of #handmadebritain exhibiting at #waterperrygardens June 16-18. This firing is a mix of #shino #tenmoku and a layered rutile/shino glaze. Almost everything is wadded on shells, love the marks they make and nothing sticks 👌

Loving the #tenmoku

Loving the #tenmoku

Photo one of todays gas firing, blurry cone ten lo

Photo one of todays gas firing, blurry cone ten looking out the spy hole, far right, I can almost hear it giving in, its team mates gave up a while back. Photo two of a special anagama firing with @oxforduniversitykilns I’ve been enjoying the tall piece at the back ever since it came out, don’t think I could ever part with that one, some are just like that 💫

Being tidy prevails for a while and then a wild de

Being tidy prevails for a while and then a wild desperation to make takes over me and I care much (much!) less about the splatter. In fact I enjoy the care free liberation of the absence of life’s drogue (tidying!). If silicosis wasn’t a thing I would leave it! Bisque is building, the kiln is cooling, the ideas are racing. Good times 👌

This one will have the slip treatment in the next

This one will have the slip treatment in the next day or two. For now I can just enjoy all the possibilities for how to finish it 👍💫

I am adding to the bisque graveyard at an alarming

I am adding to the bisque graveyard at an alarming rate. It’s time to reassess. Going large brings with it a whole new approach, even drying is key and I haven’t paid the process enough attention. I’m getting cracks in the bisque that are terminal, they aren’t drying evenly and my cross your fingers approach isn’t even close to the discipline required and I’m getting what I deserve. What won’t change is my determination to make the scale I want, what will change is my approach. Thank you clay for teaching me humility (and that even drying is for everyone 😂)

Forgive my childish wild excitement, I haven’t f

Forgive my childish wild excitement, I haven’t fired for a while, it’s AMAZING, to get back to it. Very successful firing, still with many learnings as follows: ash sprinkled on shino on the hot end of the kiln is quite something, one to repeat. The tenmoku I have is rich and luxurious but thick is good, thicker might be to die for. Celadon over shino works well. Shino didn’t crawl, thicker may be better, maybe double dip. Potters gold (iron rich ore) is great sprinkled on anything. Firing on shells is laborious but the results are stunning. The kiln fires unevenly go with it, don’t fight it, hot stuff down the hot end - like wood ash, glaze with a wide firing range down the other end. One last thing - fire more, it fuels your soul 👌

Granite glaze from rocks on Goat Fell, Arran (Scot

Granite glaze from rocks on Goat Fell, Arran (Scotland). Very pleased with this special little bottle

Heady optimism. All stacked up and ready for🔥

Heady optimism. All stacked up and ready for🔥

New body of work coming through. New tenmoku, new

New body of work coming through. New tenmoku, new shino, new goat fell granite glaze, layers of glaze. Spring is here, time to get back in the studio 👍🤩💫 fire next weekend 🔥

@designslikethese is an amazing creative force and

@designslikethese is an amazing creative force and a stalwart supporter of @shieldstudiopottery with first hand experience of cancer she is raising money for Cancer Research UK, can you help? She’s doing 10k steps a day, each day in March and needs your donations to keep going, see the link in my bio. I’m nothing without my other half, you wouldn’t be without yours, dig deep and help us support cancer research. Nikkis artworks are an amazingly fresh, contemporary and expressive release of talent, available in the coming weeks in “common ground” cafe in Clarendon St, Oxford, UK. Sneak preview of some pieces in the photos and a pot I sneaked into her studio to dry in the cold months 👍💫 #cancerresearchuk

Patience or propane? I choose propane 🔥Large ja

Patience or propane? I choose propane 🔥Large jar in progress, two sections 👌

Last but one post was a week ago and unfortunately

Last but one post was a week ago and unfortunately the pot slumped as I applied a boat lid of slip when it was on the wet side, we live and learn. Made another one today and much happier with the form in any case. Even when pushing the envelope a bit it still was well centered and makes all the difference to the end result. Just need to be patient now 😅

Enjoying the process of getting granite down to so

Enjoying the process of getting granite down to something fine enough to make a glaze from. Calcining was remarkably effective as the first process, hard to believe something as hard as granite becomes so friable. Pounding with an old sledge hammer head next, the crush then into the rock tumbler with beach found round flint pebbles. Some of the powder passed through an 80mesh sieve. Rest of it is back in the tumbler now wet for a bit longer. If you have any suggestions for a glaze recipe with this do let me know, I have ideas but this is my first attempt and I appreciate the direction (unless the direction is to do loads of testing - as I know I ought to but testing will be limited!!)

As the shimpo disappears behind the creation the g

As the shimpo disappears behind the creation the glaze possibilities with granite sourced near the summit of Goat Fell on Arran emerge. It been months since I have thrown a pot, and it feels good again. Great that the studio is warming with the milder weather and I look forward to firings to come 💫

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Iain Shield

Abingdon, Oxfordshire

07818 430173

Iain@ShieldStudioPottery.com

Shield Studio Pottery would love to hear from you! We often attend local art events and Art Weeks when it’s on. You might find us firing local anagama kilns, or sourcing local clay. If you cant find us out and about we are probably on the wheel!

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