The Spontaneous Jug - Out of the Kiln

The spontaneous jug has now been fired, and I am very pleased with the results. The surface has developed exactly the kind of layered quality I had hoped for, giving the piece a real sense of depth and history.

The red did not work quite as well as expected and appears only in a few places. However, this doesn’t detract from the overall finish. If anything, the subtlety of the colour adds a little unpredictability to the surface, which suits the spontaneous nature of the piece.

In hindsight, I do wonder whether applying the transparent glaze over the red copper glaze was the best decision. It may have softened or muted the effect somewhat, which could explain why the red appears less strongly than anticipated.

One particularly interesting outcome is inside the jug. Although a transparent glaze was used there, something in the clay body clearly responded to the reduction firing. The interior has developed a speckled surface that is really quite attractive and adds another unexpected layer of character to the piece.

It’s always satisfying when a firing reveals something you hadn’t entirely planned for. In this case, the combination of layers, subtle colour, and the speckled interior has made the spontaneous jug feel lively and full of interest.