High/Low fire-Your choice
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High/Low fire-Your choice
Let's consider the pros and cons of high fired glazes versus low fired glazes: Pottery fired to Cone 10 or higher is generally safe for food. As long as the clay has been fired to Cone 10 and vitrified, it should be safe from bacteria. Low fired pots can potentially capture bacteria in cracks in the glaze or clay body since it's not vitrified. So, if you are making utilitarian pottery to be used with food, you need to use a high fired clay body and glaze. Some potters prefer stoneware glazes because the variations are so diverse. You could spend a lifetime experimenting with some glazes. You don't have to know chemistry to be a fine potter, but to really progress with glazing you need to learn as much as you can. Begin looking at glaze recipes in terms of the role of each ingredient. Notice which oxides are in the glazes you are using. You quickly learn patterns. Each compound has a job to do in a glaze. Learn about the chemicals and you can begin to control the results.
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| Lynda Moultry |
