[Clayart] the natural progression

[mel jacobson]

and, others please join in on the philosophical discussion.

if you are going to start a pottery, studio, space...it just 
seems to me that one should start the process with a fine 
clay body that fits your work.  it is the standard for 
making your work.  the bones and guts.

if you are buying ready made, make sure you know the 
parameters of the body.  what does it do?  crack, warp, or 
is it perfect for your work.???? that is the first quest.'
what is the color fired?  when that happens, and you have 
discovered perfection., you start full production.  and that 
production will match your kiln and its parameters.

if that final tally is cone 3, then so be it. if it is cone 
7, so be it.  you know you have perfect melted clay.

the last thing that happens is the finding and matching a 
glaze that will vitrify and complete the work.  if that is 
cone 8, who cares, the glaze can be made to match.

you don't care if it is not cone 6 on the nuts.  it is in a 
range.   you tweak to perfection.

color, texture all will come with time.  but, you should 
have  a base glaze that works all the time.  one base that 
you trust and can pretty much color at will.

then, i would send all that research to ron roy and say.
`is this going to work for my entire life?`  pay him to do 
this.  it is not charity.  it is an investment in your life 
,  perhaps the most important step in the process.

i did not have a hooozah moment one day and say...i fire to 
cone 11.  just opposite, i did not like cone 9.  it was weak.
i found the sweet spot for my pots and what i do..it was 
cone 11.  that is what made my work sing. it was thousands 
of pots to get to that point.

there is not nobility in firing to cone 11-12.  it just 
happen to work for me. i love melted clay and glaze. it is 
my aesthetic.
period.  each finds their own way.
but it takes knowledge of materials, a great deal of testing 
and that includes the final product.
mel