you are a beginner glazer unless Marked otherwise on the attendance sheet!
There are three groups: Beginner, Independent, and Mentor.
YOU are in the beginner group unless otherwise promoted by your instructor, and thus noted on the attendance sign-in sheet. Glazing can make or break your pot. A mediocre pot can look great with a good glaze job. A great pot can be totally trashed by a poor glaze job. It takes time to learn how each different glaze behaves and how they react with one another. Maintain a journal.
Poor glazing damages kiln shelves and costs money. I may need to disassemble the stack to clean the shelves. I may need to replace the shelves, and these shelves cost $315 each. There are $18,000 worth of shelves in the kiln.
BEGINNERS
You are a beginner unless otherwise designated. Beginners may not glaze without close supervision. If you wish to glaze independently consult your instructor and ask him/her to add you to the list.
SUPERVISION MEANS
- You have to have your glaze plan FOR EACH POT approved by your instructor or a mentor.
- After glazing, your pots must be inspected and approved BEFORE you put them on the shelves.
- An independent glazer, mentor or instructor MUST be in the glaze room with you when you glaze.
- You may not dip in the buckets labeled “DANGER”, i.e.Copper Red, Oil Spot, and Titanium etc. They are too runny and require more experience. You may use Copper Red, Oil Spot and Titanium squirt bottles to apply glaze to the inside of your pots. That is safe because the glaze can’t run off your pots and onto the shelves.
- You will remain in the beginner category until certified otherwise by an instructor.This will probably take A FULL YEAR to accomplish. If you feel you’re are ready to glaze independently discuss it with your instructor.
INDEPENDENT
There is a list of independent glazers posted on a clipboard in the glaze room. They may glaze independently. If you run glaze onto the shelves or do “crazy glazing,” you will be moved back to the beginner category.
MENTOR
Mentors are experts who are able and willing to help others. See the list.
