Firing Fees

Mouse Ceramic Studio is currently offering firing services to Students and members only. We charge $0.04 per cubic inch to fire in a community firing. IF the work does not change in dimension between the first and second firing, you dont have to pay for the glaze, if the work changes in dimension then each time the work is fired, it must be paid for at the rate of $0.04 per cubic inch, bisque and glaze.

To get the dimensions, measure your piece with an inch ruler or measuring tape, you will need the length, the width, and the height, the length is the longest dimension of your piece (usually) from side to side, the width is usually front to back, and the height is the measurement from top to bottom or how tall it is. Each measurement needs to multiplied by the next so length x width x height. This will give you the cubic inches of the piece; take that amount and multiply by 0.04 to get your dollar amount. For example, a cup with handle that is 6x4x4 is 96 cubic inches; 96 x 0.04 = 3.84 so the total for this mug would be $3.84. If the mug was being stilted then it needs to be re-measured and paid for again.

Please note there is a 2” minimum for any measurement and a $1 minimum per piece. This means that if you have a piece that measures less than one inch in any dimension, you must use 2 as the size, and any work that costs less than $1 needs to be rounded up to a dollar. Multiple pieces being fired can be combined into one payment but still must be a minimum of $1 per piece.

If using a firing tray, the tray can be measured but if the works are moved off the tray during the glaze firing then you will have to pay again for the glaze firing.

Stilting your work at Mouse Ceramic Studio

Students/members who wish to have their work stilted must pay $0.04 per cubic inch for a second firing and must provide their own stilts and have the work prepared for kiln loading already balanced safely on the stilts.  Pieces are required to have a firing tray with them in the event that the piece falls over or the stilts fail.  This firing tray must be calculated into the cubic inches of the total size of the piece (including stilts and tray) when calculating fees.  A firing tray is a bisque fired slab of clay that you can make or you can use a plate or other flat clay piece, that you can reuse during firings.
This second firing fee is required in addition to the bisque one as our policy is to provide one free glaze firing if the work does not change dimensions.  Feel free to ask us questions if this is not clear. 

Glazes

Here is a little more information on each glaze that we sell. Our glazes are numbered and all are formulated to be fired at cone six in an oxidizing atmosphere. The glazes will appear different on different clay bodies and some have a learning curve to get the to look just the way you want.

#1 Clear
This is a good clear that fits clay bodies well if it is thin. This glaze tends to crackle the thicker it is applied.

#2 (not so) Boring Brown
This is a relatively runny brown glaze on white clay but it transforms on dark clay to reveal variegated blues.

#3 Dry Rosé
A semi-matte pink glaze that goes white the thicker the glaze is applied. Keep it thin to see the pink.

#4 Ruby
A gorgeous red when thin and a more obscured purple-white when thick. Keep thin to see the ruby red color.

#5 Glaze #5
This glaze may not have a name but it does have a reputation, it turns blue when layered over creamy glaze #6. Alone it is a slightly runny brown.

#6 Creamy II
This glaze was formulated by us after trying successfully to recreate a commercial glaze. It is stable and matte when thin and a little more runny and shiny when thick. This glaze breaks brown on dark clay with texture.

#7 Hematite
This amazing glaze was also made when trying to recreate a commercial pewter but it is even better because it does not run. Metallic and reliable this glaze is not food safe.

#8 Sapphire
This blue glaze is the sister to #16 celadon and was made when adding cobalt by mistake, but we think it was the happiest of mistakes. This glaze is semi transparent and gets more deep blue the thicker it is applied. It can crawl if the bisque is dusty or if the glaze is too thick.

#9 Tenmoku
This is a cone 6 take on the classic cone ten glaze, it will run if applied thick and makes great combos.

#10 Bottle Glass
A very special glaze that we found in Europe. Bottle Glass is very very fluffy and has a tendency to settle in its liquid form. It can be very tricky to work with as it should not be touched after it dries as its very very powdery. It is matte green when thin and shiny crackle when thick. A very fun glaze to play with.

#11 Glossy White
A very white (toilet bowl) glaze that is specially made to be very brilliant and not dingy. It is very stable and reliable, one of our favorites.

#12 California Sun
This golden glaze is reliable and will not run if properly applied. It is dark brown when thin and a golden earth yellow when thick.

#13 Sky Sail
This glaze is a bit unpredictable/inconsistent so we are not currently offering it.

#14 Something Cool
This glaze is on its way.

#15 Lauren’s Denim Blue
Believe it or not this glaze was a recipe that we traded from Brazil that was supposed to be a chrome pink. We are happy it is a denim blue and are happy to share it with you. It is more expensive because it contains quite a lot of tin.

#16 Celadon
We are a big fan of cone 6 celadons, they range from blue-green, ours is inspired by the Song dynasty Chinese celadons which are jade colored. This glaze is semi-transparent and pools in crevices, making it wonderful for carved porcelain. The darker the clay, the darker this glaze appears.

#17 Chrome-Tin
One of our most unpredictable glazes due to the very fine balance of chrome and tin in the matrix, the glaze can appear almost clear if thin, but when thick creates tones of purple-pink/red. Have no expectations when using this one.

#18 Blue
A nice basic blue with a beautiful deep color, it doesn’t like to be applied thick, and will crawl if you put too many layers.

#19 Val Cushing
This gorgeous glaze developed by American potter Val Cushing and is a studio favorite. It is considered by many to be the perfect glaze as it is not too shiny or too dry, it is a perfect satin with a smooth feel.

#20 Alabama Rain
A recipe John Britt shared when he did his workshop at Mouse in early 2020, a glossy warm oatmeal-type glaze.

#21 Reactive Glaze
This is a local reduction copper red glaze that only goes “red” when thick, it is amazing on dark clay because of the kaleidoscope of colors that you get from a single glaze.

#22 Vanilla Bean
A stable satin base with small black granules which give it a speckled appearance. Shake or stir your glaze well as these specks settle to the bottom as the glaze ages.

#23 Electric Blue
This glaze is very dry and not recommended for food containers, in fact the glaze is almost more akin to an underglaze in its fired appearance. The blue is intense and gets darker with more layering. Dark clays make this glaze a bit volatile.

#24 Mama Cat Black
This matte black is smooth when applied thin and textured and rough when applied thick or on dark clay bodies.

Membership

Membership is $250 per month.

Membership is currently full but please email us at mouseceramicstudio@gmail.com to be put on the waitlist, because Mouse does not require any minimum monthly commitment or deposit, things can open up quickly.

Membership includes limited studio access between the hours of 7am-10:45pm seven days a week.

Membership does not include clay, firings, or tools.

Mouse Reopening

Hello all,

We will be able to reopen our doors on Monday July 20th, 2020 as long as our activities take place outdoors at reduced capacity. Therefore our new term which runs from August 3rd until September 27th will take place outdoors in the rear of the studio. The classes will be rain or shine and there is a canopy to protect students in case of inclement weather. Read on for more new changes.

Students will have decreased open studio time and must sign up for wheel practice time and glazing time separately with weekly restrictions. Those weekly restrictions will be one open studio shift per week for 2.5 hours.
There will be strict cleaning and disinfecting protocols as well as a mask requirement at all times inside and in the garden as well as the use of gloves when glazing.
Students now much purchase and manage their own clay bodies and tools. The studio will not provide tools, clay or shared items. We will still have one time use towels, disinfecting wipes, glazes and buckets for students.
We are working outside and the studio will only be used for the bathroom and accessing work/clay/tools from shelves, we will not be cleaning up using the indoor sink, we will use a bucket of water and then disinfect.
Each student will have their own personal shelf where they can store their buckets, sponges, etc.
Classes are at reduced capacity to ensure each person has at least 6’ between themselves and the next student.
If working outside is a problem for you, please inquire about a membership option.

Detiled info on the Clay Bodies

All clays except terra cotta and sculpture are recommended for wheel.

Sand Clay. A finely grogged clay. This clay is beautiful, it looks like wet beach sand when left unglazed with a grainy, speckled surface. The speckles do not show through glazes and underglazes applied over this clay body but it will bring the color of glazes down.
Cone 6 Shrinkage 13.5% Absorption 3.0%

Brooklyn red. Standard 308.
This is one of the most widely used clays in public studios for a reason. It is a brick red stoneware body with fine sand and fine grog. Very resistant to warping and bloating. Yields a beautiful dark reddish brick color and can bring depth and richness to the glazes applied to it.
Cone 6 Shrinkage 12.5% Absorption 2.0%

Dark Brown Clay.
People love this clay because it is so dark. This clay creates major depth and richness in color as it greatly affects the glazes applied over it. The clay is smooth and plastic and good for all techniques. It may take longer to clean up your wheel splash pan with all the iron in this clay.
Cone 6 Shrinkage 13% Absorption 1.0%

Porcelain. Wins most vitrified award meaning that this clay is nonporous and very food safe even without glaze. Porcelain boasts a super smooth and creamy texture and contains no grog. Glazes are bright and brilliant on this clay especially semi translucent glazes like celadons. Its a great choice if you are staining clay bodies with mason stains or oxides (Nerikomi/Agateware). It is however more prone to cracking while drying and warping than other clays but worth it to obtain the super white color. Recommended for intermediate to experienced potters.
Cone 6 Shrinkage 13.0% Absorption 0.3%

White Stoneware. Fires a bright warm off-white color. This is a good clay for beginners because the glazes show up on it with very bright colors.  This clay has some of the finest grog we have ever seen which enhances its throwing qualities and strength while leaving the clay feeling smooth.
Cone 6 Shrinkage 10.0% Absorption 0.75%

Sculpture clay. Standard 420.
A highly grogged body, formulated for sculpture. Yellowish tan color at C/6.
This clay is a beautiful gray color when wet but don’t let that fool you, the clay fires a light straw tone. This clay is full of sandy gritty grog which can hurt some peoples hands when they throw with it. For this reason we do not recommend it for throwing (although some do). This clay is highly moldable and sticky. It is an excellent sculpture clay, producing works that dry evenly with less cracking and low shrinkage (only 8% vs the usual double digits).
Cone 6 Shrinkage 8.0% Absorption 1.5%

Speckled clay. Standard 112.
This clay is definitely having a moment. This is THE most popular clay at Mouse Ceramic Studio. Maybe its because the speckles in the clay show through glazes and underglazes, effectively making every glaze you apply to it into a speckled glaze. This clay will not reveal its speckled surface until its fired to glaze temperature.
C/6 Shrinkage 11.0% Absorption 2.25%

Terra Cotta Sculpture Clay. Standard 108.
This clay gives the lovely earth tones associated with terra cotta but its actually a high fire stoneware. Great for sculpture, very rough for wheel throwing although we have seen it done. This clay is rough and not recommended for wheel use (although we have seen it done (Matt K!)).
Cone 6 Shrinkage 10.5% Absorption 5.0%

Hazelnut Brown. Standard 211.
Lisa Common turned us onto this clay, she uses it a lot in her test tiles. It is maybe one of the most beautiful brown clays available, not to light and not too dark, full of rich deep tones that really bring out the beauty of glazes. The grog is light and the clay is dark, producing a brown surface speckled with light dots.
Cone 6 Shrinkage 12.5% Absorption 2.0%

left to right top row, middle row, bottom row is sculpture, terra cotta, white stoneware, BK red, porcelain, Sand, Speckled, Dark Brown, Hazelnut.

Gina Tibbott - Post Zoom Notes

https://coneartkilnsshop.com/index.php/product/119d/
Cone Art Kiln BX119D
Velvet Underglazes (Amaco)
Kemper Stylus & mini ribbon tool set

Lu Zhang - Post Zoom Notes

Click the button below to access Lu Zhang’s Domestic Inspiration material slideshow including artists names and photos from her class last week.

Info on Firings at Mouse during COVID-19

Mouse Ceramic Studio is currently offering firing services to all. We charge $0.04 per cubic inch to fire in a community firing. (Except for members), each time the work is fired, it must be paid for. Measure your piece with an inch ruler or measuring tape, you will need the length, the width, and the height, the length is the longest dimension of your piece (usually) from side to side, the width is usually front to back, and the height is the measurement from top to bottom or how tall it is. Each measurement needs to multiplied by the next so length x width x height. This will give you the cubic inches of the piece; take that amount and multiply by 0.04 to get your dollar amount. For example, a cup with handle that is 6x4x4 is 96 cubic inches; 96 x 0.04 = 3.84 so the total for this mug would be $3.84 per firing or $7.68 for bisque and glaze firing. Members only pay for bisque firings and glaze is included as a courtesy and benefit of membership.

Please note there is a 2” minimum for any measurement and a $1 minimum per piece. This means that if you have a piece that measures less than one inch in any dimension, you must use 2 as the size, and any work that costs less than $1 needs to be rounded up to a dollar. Multiple pieces being dropped off can be combined into one payment.

Work must be paid for before bringing it to the studio. At this time there is no glazing in the studio, people must bring their greenware and/or glazed bisque to fire at the studio.

This price is for community firings, these take more time. If you want expedited firings, you may be interested in renting kiln from our store page instead. That said, works typically fire within a week.

How to plant your living pot

Hello Kickstarter friends, thank you for your enduring patience. Below is a video to help you plant your piece, be creative!

Info on the Clay Bodies

551
Cone 6 White porcelain. Wins most vitrified award. Super smooth and creamy. Glazes are bright and brilliant on this clay. Great if you are staining clay bodies with mason stains or oxides (Nerikomi/Agateware).
Cone 6 Shrinkage 13.0% Absorption 0.3%

630
Gray (White) Stoneware. This is the clay we used to provide in the communal buckets. Contains fire clay and mullite which (supposedly) enhances thermal properties. Fires grayish and the fired unglazed clay looks like white stoneware at cone ten. This is a good clay for beginners because the grog in the clay helps prevent cracking during drying.  Some people have experienced bloating issues with this clay body.

Cone 6 Shrinkage 13.0% Absorption 1.5%

240
Ivory (White) Stoneware.
A very smooth, plastic throwing body. This clay doesn’t have grog so it is more prone to cracking during drying, dry slowly to avoid this, not having grog allows you to sponge smooth this clay. 240 is a great clay for those who are nervous about trying porcelain but want a very smooth lighter colored clay. It is the brightest stoneware we have, it is very low in iron. The glazes show bright and clean on this clay.
Cone 6 Shrinkage 13.0% Absorption 1.5%

420
Sculpture clay.
A highly grogged body, formulated for sculpture. Sand color at C/6.
This clay is a beautiful gray color when wet but don’t let that fool you, the clay fires a light straw tone. This clay is full of sandy gritty grog which can hurt some peoples hands when they throw with it. For this reason we do not recommend it for throwing (although some do). This clay is highly moldable and sticky. It is an excellent sculpture clay, producing works that dry evenly with less cracking and low shrinkage (only 8% vs the usual double digits).
Cone 6 Shrinkage 8.0% Absorption 1.5%

259
Lite Brown Clay
a beautiful clay that is great for throwing. This clay is a lighter brown color with lots of light specks of grog that show up in the glaze firing.
Cone 6 Shrinkage 12.5% Absorption 2.9%

760
Sand speckle clay. A finely grogged speckled clay. This clay is beautiful, it looks like wet beach sand when left unglazed. The speckles do not show through glazes and underglazes applied over this clay body.

Cone 6 Shrinkage 13.5% Absorption 3.0%

211
Hazelnut Brown
Lisa Common turned us onto this clay, she uses it a lot in her test tiles. It is maybe one of the most beautiful brown clays available, not to light and not too dark, full of rich deep tones that really bring out the beauty of glazes.
Cone 6 Shrinkage 12.5% Absorption 2.0%

108
Terra Cotta Red Sculpture clay.
This clay gives the lovely red tones associated with terra cotta but its actually a high fire stoneware. Great for sculpture, very rough for wheel throwing although we have seen it done.
Cone 6 Shrinkage 10.5% Absorption 5.0%

308
Brooklyn red. 308 is a brick red stoneware body with fine sand and fine grog. Very resistant to warping and bloating. Yields a beautiful reddish brick color and can bring depth and richness to the glazes applied to it.
Cone 6 Shrinkage 12.5% Absorption 2.0%

266
Dark Brown Clay. People love this clay because it is so dark. It is described as giving a reduction look to any cone 6 glaze but its just the visual influence of all of the iron and manganese in the clay body showing through to create major depth and richness in color. The clay is smooth and plastic and good for all techniques. It may take longer to clean up your wheel splash pan with all the iron in this clay. Some have reported issues with warping and bloating.
Cone 6 Shrinkage less than 12.5% Absorption less than 1.0%

112
Speckle clay. This is one of the most popular clay bodies because the speckles in the clay show through glazes and underglazes. Bisque looking unblemished brown? This clay will not reveal its speckled surface until its fired to glaze temperature.
C/6 Shrinkage 11.0% Absorption 2.25%

Pedro's final three Monday pm classes

Greetings.

Pedro’s final three zooms will be this Monday and the two following it June 8th, 15th, and 22nd.

6/8 Nerkomi clay mixing
6/15 African Firing and forming screening
6/22 TBD

This will be the next three Mondays from 7pm-7:40pm

Meeting ID: 591 721 8461

Updated Zoom Information

Hello.

Our zoom meeding ID has changed, it is now 591 721 8461

Eleven Templates

Hey everyone,

Here are two pdfs of templates, click the buttons below to download them. One has the three vases, and the other has a bunch of gems, the gem one is DIFFICULT to do in clay but it can be done, I did the big diamond one.

Enjoy!

Template

Here is the template for Pedro’s zoom on June 3rd.

Zoom Zoom ID

254 969 0460

Anjuli Wright was great on Wednesday and we are looking forward to having her teach next week as well. As always our zoom ID is 254 969 0460.

Zoom Classes

Hey guys, the blog may become obsolete again as well switch our zoom classes over to their own page on the website. We are still providing free wheel classes on Mondays at 7 with Pedro and now Wednesdays at 7:15 we have talented guest artists taking control and teaching you a project.

We are also now providing classes you can purchase to make unique works at home, all of the paid classes are on the weekend for now. As always our Zoom ID is 254 969 0460 and only the paid classes are password protected.

Mini Wheel Tools and Tips Video

An introduction to the mini wheel kit we sell and rent out. Here you will see how to use all ten parts of the kit and get a brief throwing demo.

Glazing at home

With everyone making at home and now with our firing services running full steam, people are ready for the next step, glazing at home. We put together this quick video to guide you through some of the process whether you want to pour or brush your glaze on.

Betty Woodman tonight

Last Friday’s Zoom topic is on for today. Betty Woodman!

Born in Norwalk, Connecticut, Betty Woodman attended the School for American Craftsmen at Alfred University in New York from 1948 to 1950. She has taught in the Fine Arts Department of the University of Colorado.

A leading ceramist whose inventive forms and painterly use of color have won her international renown, Woodman began her career making simple functional pottery. Although her ambitious experiments with clay have wrought great changes in her work, it still refers to some practical function even if her baroque, expressive forms are no longer strictly utilitarian. Woodman's art has been inspired by diverse sources, ranging from Etruscan and Minoa to Tange and majolica ceramics.

The recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1980 and 1986, Woodman has also been a guest artist at the experimental atelier of the Manufacture National de Sevres in France.

Kenneth R. Trapp and Howard Risatti Skilled Work: American Craft in the Renwick Gallery (Washington, D.C.: National Museum of American Art with the Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998)

Artist Biography

Betty Woodman first became interested in crafts because her father was a woodworker. In high school, one ceramics course was sufficient to convince Woodman that she wanted to be a functional potter. Studying pottery at the School for American Craftsmen at Alfred University, she developed a strong interest in the history of ceramics. Her first job after graduating in 1950 was as a production potter, and that technical facility and experience were to be the foundation of her subsequent innovations. In 1952 Woodman traveled to Italy, where exposure to traditions such as majolica opened her eyes to the potential of clay.

It was not until the seventies that Woodman completely abandoned her functional approach. Collaborating with important figures in the Pattern and Decoration movement, such as Joyce Kozloff and Cynthia Carlson, she began producing colorful, witty—and nonfunctional—vessels decorated with scenes from the Italian Renaissance or slathered with landscape clouds. Woodman's eccentric shapes and glazes are often appropriated from other cultures; her work in a sense functions as a very personal interpretation of art history. While the artist still produces human- and tabletop-size works, in recent years she has increased her scale, creating environmental installations for museums and galleries in the United States and abroad.

Check out the video below of the late artist talking about her work.