Vol. Ill, No. 9 
NEW YORK AND SYRACUSE 
January J 902 
HE New York Society of Keramic Arts is to be 
congratulated upon its successful exhibition. 
While we can give no account of it in the 
current number, we will have full description 
with illustrations in our next. There was a 
decided improvement over previous exhibi- 
tions, showing stronger and more original work. 
There were fewer direct copies of designs, and more original- 
ity. The general tone was quiet and restful and very few 
florid decorations. The loan exhibition of American Pottery 
added interest, and opened the eyes of many, who had no 
idea that such artistic products were made here. The Brook- 
lyn Exhibition also had this educational feature. These 
keramic clubs are working on the right lines, in stirring up the 
public to admiration of things that are beautiful and interest- 
ing in keramic forms and decoration. 
FIRING 
IF one thing more than another adds to the fascination of 
working upon a beautiful Keramic surface, it surely is the 
possession of a kiln, which is really the best investment a 
decorator can make, if constant work and experimenting are 
to be seriously pursued. In these days where gas and kero- 
sene are employed as fuel, the remote decorator or student 
can work in the wilds and still be independent. 
It is the portable kiln that has made good work possible 
all over the country, and it has caused a revolution in applied 
decoration. The amateur will attempt that which factories of 
fifty years experience would tremble to undertake and feel 
rather surprised that there should be a slight failure or blem- 
ish. All this is commendable, and the results are leading up 
to individual styles of decoration, especially in enamel and 
lustre effects. 
The advantage in owning a kiln is that after becoming 
familiar with it one can judge results very nearly accurately, 
and can work with a definite plan, knowing just where to place 
certain wares that are decorated with this or that particular 
color or enamel. 
Then again it is an absolute comfort to fire one's pieces as 
many times as is necessary or is desired, without the trouble 
and expense of taking the piece elsewhere, where perhaps the 
firer is not much interested, or where he or she will place it in 
the fire, regardless of the particular handling it requires, think- 
ing only of getting as many things as possible into a kiln. 
There are certain standard colors, if additional flux has not 
been added, that are better in the hottest place, (we mean the 
La Croix and Meissen colors) therefore from experience we 
find that all blues and violets are better fired strong. One 
must become familiar with the violet tones and add more or 
less blue to counteract the strong tone of pink in them which 
is sometimes objectionable. 
Deep Blue Green is a transparent color and requires a 
hard fire. Paste will stand a hard fire if properly mixed, and 
it is often necessary to give it such when the colors need heat, 
but it is better to plan the work so that the paste may come 
in a medium heat. A good preparation of gold will remain 
unhurt in a strong fire, unless it should be over a heavy color 
or on a soft ware, which will invariably absorb it. 
The reason so many decorated pieces look soiled and 
dingy after standing a few weeks, is that the colors have not 
been fired hard enough, not forming a perfect union with the 
glaze, which accumulates the dust, requiring a hard scrubbing 
every little while. The iron reds will not stand too hard a fire 
nor too frequent firing, neither will the. pinks. Greens are 
usually safe anywhere, except when too much yellow is used, 
and then the yellow absorbs the greens. Mixing yellow is the 
color to use with greens, and silver yellow with the reds. 
One must understand thoroughly the difference in enam- 
els, whether hard or soft, before perfect results will be ob- 
tained in firing. 
If it is necessary to give a hard fire to a piece that must 
have enamel on it, in that same fire, then be sure to have the 
enamel mixed harder, using much less flux in it. 
A kiln will help one to understand the chemistry of colors 
more quickly than by anything else, and we suggest to teachers 
that they give a course of lessons in firing, as many do. 
It is a good plan to keep a record of experiments, noth- 
ing is too trivial for the great potters to note, and it would be 
well to follow their excellent example. 
English china which is in great demand can be beautifully 
fired in our portable kilns, but no stilt must touch it, as it is 
very easily marred, just as the belleek. 
Besides the comfort and aid that a kiln is, the expense of 
possessing and running it can be defrayed by firing for others. 
*• «r 
In the article which appeared in the last Keramic Studio, 
on the note of the Summer School at Alfred, I stated that 
it was the first American School of Keramics. I intended to 
say that it was the first American State School to deal with 
the art side of Keramics. The first State university to afford 
instruction in Keramics was that of Ohio, but as I understand 
it the art side is not considered there. To my knowledge 
the Sophie Newcomb Memorial College was the first school 
other than a State school, to deal with the subject from 
the artist's standpoint. Marshal FRy. 
