Okay, so it’s Tuesday 18th May and I’ve decided I would go into University today instead of working from home. I’m mixing binders and still trying to work out the right mixture to create throwable glass. I have to admit, I’d done quite a few experiments by now and was getting a little downhearted and frustrated. I’d done several attempts at home and all had failed. Although disheartened I pushed on and thought a change of environment might help with a eureka moment … well, you never know, do you. Below are some pictures of failed mixtures. I will fire test them … it all helps, but they will still remain in my failed attempt bundle.
But, I persevered and (deep breath) I actually succeeded on creating a throwable pieces of glass and no, it wasn’t a fluke. I made the mixture up several more time just to try it out. I’m so excited. I will admit one thing in my recipe and that was water was a key ingredient, as well as the quantity. Strangely, whilst I was creating my mixture, I felt like I was baking and that I should have been in a kitchen, not at a desk at University. I even had comments about it too - we had a few laughs about it.
To say I was over the moon and high on endorphins after actually throwing a successful piece of glass pottery - yes, I can actually say that - was an understatement. I couldn’t believe it at first, whilst I was throwing it. It wasn’t until I stopped that I found myself jumping for joy and running to grab my glass tutor Max Stewart to show him my hard work had resulted in success. He was overjoyed for me and informed me that only one other person had accomplished the same feat but had never repeated it. Shocking!!
I actually had two bats to throw with. The one was clean and clear, the other had a mound of clay as a base structure to place the glass clay mixture on - in case I couldn’t get it to stick to the bat and allow me to throw it. To my surprise, though, it did eventually adhere to the pottery bat and I was about to throw it without getting clay intertwined within the mixture. As I said, this wasn’t a one pony show - the first one was done with Mint Green Bullseye Glass Powder. The other were done with different colour glass powders and I attempted different shapes and even tried to get as thin as possible. I found out, during these throwing attempts, that I could easily remix the ‘clay’ to enable me to throw again. The key to throwing these bad boys was the amount of water I added to the pieces as I threw them. I didn’t want to drown them in water, so I had to be careful. I still don’t know how much water it can take before the mixture would be completely useless. Just another future test to try out and see.
The next stages will be just as important. I need to find the best drying method and the best firing method, as well as the best firing temperature. I’m even have a look at whether I will be able to crave details into one of them, like you would for the normal ceramic pieces. I want to attempt tidying and smoothing off, etc, as well. But baby steps are needed. The excitement is getting to me now and I just want to do everything all at once. I’m not sure if my mixture is 100% perfect, I will continue to improve it the best I can and expand on my techniques and possible uses for this mixture. All I know it, I’m ecstatic and I can’t wait to see how they will come out after firing.
I’m working on my firing temperature program as well at the moment. I’m thinking a nice slow firing would be a good idea, but it would be interesting to see how a faster firing process would affect the pieces. Getting it right will be the key, after confirm the appropriate drying method. I’m so worried that I’m going to end up with puddles of glass instead of lovely little glass bowl pieces. I don’t even know if I’ve added enough glass powder at this point until I’ve dried and fired them. They may look amazing at this point, but they may turn out completely wrong in the end. It’s nail biting stuff.
I will continue to keep you all posted on my development. If you want to follow my blog posts about future works and develops, please subscribe and I’ll endeavour to keep you all posted.
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