Its getting hot in here.

The kiln is now at 1200 degrees centigrade and still climbing, white hot! I fire so high that the clay starts to melt (vitrify) and this is what makes it so durable when outside in all seasons. It is also completely terrifying!

It will soon be too hot in the workshop for the newly made piece to sit so close to the kiln so I lever it onto bits of wood and drag it to the lifting table in the floor. This is heavy and difficult but very necessary.

I drag it from the table onto the wheeled trolley which always feels a bit precarious.

Safe in the drying shelf, as far as possible from the direct heat that will soon seep out of the kiln.