Since the last time we edited this page, we bought a house further up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge. The property also included an outbuilding that we are turning into co-op arts studio space. And finally, after a long summer of painting, cleaning, fixing, landscaping and waiting for zoning on the building, we finally are on our way to having a Brick and Mortar Wishful Thinking Studio!!!

The saga goes on...

 

Our New "Rocky Raku" Kiln
 
From a design by Frank Colson

Last fall, after the retreat/artist residency at Wildacres (on the Blue Ridge Parkway), we decided to build a raku kiln. Because building just about any kiln is very expensive, and because of space limitations, we searched for a small, low-cost alternative. What we got is also very portable, and very very fast.

We highly praise our little "Rocky Raku" Kiln. It is very efficient, inexpensive, portable and its perfect for the potter who wants to experiment with Raku firing. It can also be used as a test kiln for Raku potters (to test glaze and clay formulations).

We fired nearly 600 angel ornaments and pins, several taller pieces (up to 12" tall and 7" wide), and about a hundred smaller pieces produced by the students of the Wednesday (now on Mondays) evening pottery class. All of the firings used only one 40lb tank of propane.

"Kiss of fire"

 
Mosiac Table Top

updated 3.8.18