This beautiful pot came out of the kiln with its rich blue and green glaze, but as you can see, it decided to stage a great escape. The glaze ran right off the base and fused the piece to the kiln shelf! It’s a reminder that some of the most stunning glazes can also be the most adventurous when applied a little too thick or too close the bottom of the piece.
This little jar of Azurite glaze is a perfect example of why it’s so important to read the fine print. It tells you everything you need to know—from its beautiful soft matte finish at Cone 6, to the crucial tip that it can be “very mobile” on vertical pieces.
A few minutes of reading can save a lot of heartache (and grinding or money!) after the kiln opens. When a label uses words like “fluid” or “very mobile”, consider it a friendly but firm warning that these glazes are designed to run and drip as they melt. To prevent your beautiful piece from fusing permanently to a kiln shelf, it’s crucial to keep these glazes far from the bottom of your pot. This is a serious warning—you could not only lose your piece but also ruin an expensive kiln shelf.