Unlocking Soda Firing Techniques

Soda firing is a ceramic technique where sodium carbonate (soda ash) is introduced into a hot kiln, creating distinctive and unpredictable glazes. The process starts with loading pottery into the kiln and heating it to high temperatures, typically around cone 10 (2350°F or 1287°C). Soda ash is then introduced, either by spraying a soda solution into the kiln or by placing soda-soaked materials inside. The soda vaporizes and interacts with the clay and glazes, forming a unique sodium-silicate glaze. This results in a variety of surface textures and colors, from glossy to matte, often with tactile qualities.

Soda-fired pottery is characterized by its variation and uniqueness, with each piece displaying different markings and colors. This technique has historical roots in the 15th-century European salt firing but gained popularity in the 20th-century United States. Modern ceramic artists appreciate soda firing for its spontaneity and the unique outcomes it produces.

The benefits of soda firing include its ability to create one-of-a-kind pieces with distinct appearances and textures. However, the process is unpredictable, labor-intensive, and can be corrosive to kiln equipment. Despite these challenges, soda firing remains a cherished technique for producing beautiful and tactile ceramics.

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Classic Chinese Tea Poems and Culture

Chinese tea culture is profound and ancient, forming an essential part of traditional Chinese culture. From the discovery and spread of tea, the development of tea art, to the flourishing of tea poetry, each step highlights the deep roots of tea culture. In this article, we will explore the unique charm of Chinese tea culture through ten classic tea poems. 1. 《答族侄僧中孚赠玉泉仙人掌茶》 Tang dynasty's Lu Yu, known as the "Tea Saint," laid the foundation of tea culture with his "The Classic of Tea". His poem, "Reply to Nephew Monk Zhongfu's Gift of Yuquan Immortal Palm Tea," is a masterpiece of tea poetry: 寒夜客来茶当酒，竹炉汤沸火初红。寻常一样窗前月，才有梅花便不同。 "On a cold night, a guest arrives, and tea replaces wine. The bamboo stove boils, and the fire is just beginning. The same moon outside the window, yet with plum blossoms, it is different." Lu Yu uses tea instead of wine, expressing how integral tea was to his life. 2. 《山泉煎茶有怀》 Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi's ...

The Symphony of Minnan Buddhist Culture and Dehua White Porcelain: A Millennia-Old Ode

I. Where the Coral Trees Bloom, Ancient Temples Echo with Chants In the dawn light of the Great Buddha Hall of Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou, twenty-four wooden flying apsaras soar through the air, holding traditional Nan musical instruments, their garments flowing with the breeze of the maritime Silk Road from the Song and Yuan dynasties. This temple, founded in the second year of the Tang Dynasty's Chuigong era (686 CE), holds within its beams and pillars the secrets of a millennium of Buddhist heritage in southern Fujian. From the arrival of Buddhism with the migration of scholars during the Western Jin Dynasty's Tai Kang era (280-289 CE) to Quanzhou's rise as the "Greatest Oriental Port" during the Song and Yuan periods, diverse religious civilizations converged and blended here. Within Kaiyuan Temple, Hindu stone pillars dance alongside Buddhist apsaras, while the Manichaean Buddha of Light at Cao'an Temple stands in harmony with the Qingshui Patriarch, sk...

To those friends who use my COPYRIGHT Pictures

Yes, first at all, I like to thank you for your into my picture. And you’re welcome to repost my pictures and my content with the resource from @5bestCeramics in Pinterest. But you did copied my picture and post them on your own account without mentation @5BestCeramics. I am sorry for that. You are using UNAUTHORIZED pictures. You have infringed my copyright. Please stop it immediately. Here is some of the pictures following, Canon Eos5D Mark III-2018/01/12 First Post in https://pin.it/1XcjPwl Canon Eos5D Mark III-2018/01/19 Panasonic DMC GF-2-2021/02/10 First Post in https://pin.it/6m4p9V5 Panasonic DMC GF-2-2020/12/11 First Post in https://pin.it/jw1yMxO Panasonic DMC GF-2-2021/06/22 First Post in https://pin.it/3tYDcFJ Panasonic DMC GF-2-2021/04/30 First Post in https://pin.it/3jTmHbq Panasonic DMC GF-2-2020/07/20 First Post in https://pin.it/3iaFm2l Panasonic DMC GF-2-2021/02/22 First Post in https://pin.it/7qNAgld Panasonic DMC ...

Tea Moments With Kevin

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