Hi! I’m Jane Cullum from Manassas clay. We’re making pottery on a wheel and now the pot is ready to go in the kiln for the first firing.

First of all it has to be bone-dry that means it’s not cool to the touch and it looks dry and it’s hard but still would dissolve in water. I’m going to put it in the kiln and it will be fired up to about 1800º. This takes about 12 hours and then other 12 hours for it to cool. After it’s finished, it’s called square and it is still coarse to water but is much more durable than it is when it hasn’t been fired.

This first firing makes it easier to glaze. The glaze firing goes from 2200º to 2400º and depending on the composition of the glazes. Glaze firing takes another 12 hours and the kiln changes the clay into stone, that’s why we call it stoneware.

Next, we’re going to glaze the pot.