Before we bisque fire, our pots need to dry out. They sit on the shelves for a few days and moisture evaporates from the clay. They can't be placed in the kiln until the have a grey, chalky look. At this point they are quite fragile.

When they have lost enough moisture the pots are placed in the kiln and fired to approximately 1800 degrees Farenheit. By the time they reach the top temperature any water in the clay will have been driven off leaving a porous surface for the glaze to adhere to.

During the bisque fire the clay we use turns a whitish colour. The pot is harder now, but still breakable. Later, in the glaze fire, the pot will actually vitrify, meaning it will become non-pourous and impenetrable to water.

The last thing we do before glazing is apply a coating of wax on the bottoms of the pots. Since we don't want glaze on the bottoms, the wax is there to resist it.