For Flux Sake

4.9 (147)
VISUAL ARTS
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Matt and Rose Katz of the Ceramics Materials Workshop and Kathy King of the Ceramics Program at Harvard University discuss listener questions about clay and glaze. This show will have you laughing and learning about the chemistry behind ceramics in no time.

3 DAYS AGO

Bentonite versus Epsom Salts?

Do you have the hard pan blues when your glazes settle like a rock to the bottom of the bucket? The gang talk about how bentonite and Epsom Salts might solve hard panning, as well as when and how much you should use. They also talk about how to calcine a substance, and why you shouldn’t calcine egg shells as a calcium source. This week’s episode features the following topics: Bentonite, Epsom Salts, calcine, calcium carbonate versus calcium oxide, glaze suspension, glaze settling For today's episode we ask listeners to donate to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund and their efforts to help artists recover after Hurricane Helene.

38 min
NOV 13

Why is this glaze so gloopy?

Have you ever mixed a glaze with the correct amount of water, but it still seems gloopy and thick? If you have then you might need to add a dispersant to help solve this issue. The gang talk about using dispersants, and they answer a listener’s question about the robustness of cone six versus cone ten. They also return to Materials Corner to talk about the discontinuation of a popular luster brand. This week’s episode features the following topics: Gillespie Borate, Bentonite, Darvan, sodium silicate, vitrification, tin, cone six, cone ten For today's episode we ask listeners to donate to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund and their efforts to help artists recover after Hurricane Helene.

43 min
NOV 4

Why do pots get hot in the microwave?

Have you ever noticed how some pots get really hot in the microwave? The gang talk about why this happens, and answer a listener question about coloring reclaimed slop glaze. They also talk about glow in the dark glazes and Rose’s recent video about them on the CMW YouTube channel. Do you have questions or need advice on glazes? Drop us a line at ForFluxSakePodcast@gmail.com and you could be featured on an upcoming show. This week’s episode features the following topics: Glaze colorants, glow in the dark, microwave, vitrification, Chrome For today's episode we ask listeners to donate to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund and their efforts to help artists recover after Hurricane Helene.

39 min
OCT 30

Fluxed Up with Brett Kern-Happy Halloween!

Welcome to a very spooky edition of Fluxed Up with Brett Kern. Today we dive into the precarious world of ceramics filled with funny stories, studio mishaps, and the quest for the ever-elusive perfect glaze. Join us as Brett shares his journey with slip casting inflatable dinosaurs, using commercial glazes, and dealing with dunting after material changes. Tune in for a dose of humor, technical tips, and a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a ceramic artist. Got questions or need advice? Drop us a line at ForFluxSakePodcast@gmail.com This week’s episode features the following topics: Slip casting, Dunting, Commercial glazes, layering glazes, spraying, luster For today's episode we ask listeners to donate to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund and their efforts to help artists recover after Hurricane Helene.

32 min
OCT 23

How can we help North Carolina?

Have you wondered how you can help support artists affected by Hurricane Helene? This week’s show is dedicated to sharing information and resources to assist the North Carolina clay community in rebuilding. The gang talks about assessing damage after a natural disaster, what supply chain issues we expect, and organizations needing support. If you’d like to contribute to disaster relief, please donate to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund at www.cerfplus.org. This week’s episode features the following topics: Asheville, Marshall, Penland, Highwater Clays, Mudtools, CERF Today's episode is brought to you by Ceramic Materials Workshop.

34 min
OCT 16

Are cone 6 soda fired pots durable?

Atmospheric firing is so much fun! What’s not to like about a process where you get to spray soda into a flaming hot kiln. This week the gang talk about the durability of cone 6 soda fired pots, and the process for identifying mystery materials. They also take us behind the scenes to talk about what goes into making videos for the CMW YouTube channel. This week’s episode features the following topics: Glaze troubleshooting, atmospheric firing, cone 6, soda firing, glaze, flashing slip Today's episode is brought to you by Ceramic Materials Workshop.

38 min
OCT 9

What’s so special about a Bristol glaze?

Have you heard of a Bristol glaze? This week on For Flux Sake the gang talk about the chemistry that makes these glazes work. They also discuss the crackle vs. crazing nomenclature, as well as the definition of porcelain. Do you have questions or need advice on glazes? Drop us a line at ForFluxSakePodcast@gmail.com and you could be featured on an upcoming show. This week’s episode features the following topics: Glaze troubleshooting, crazing, porcelain, Bristol Glaze, glaze Today's episode is brought to you by Bailey Pottery Equipment and Archie Bray Residency.

35 min
OCT 2

Fluxed Up with Lisa Orr

Get ready for the wonderful and hilarious ceramic artist Lisa Orr! In this episode of our new For Flux Sake segment Fluxed Up, we dive into the precarious world of ceramics filled with personal stories, studio mishaps, and the ever-elusive perfect glaze. Join us as Lisa shares her journey with making low fired white wares, the influence red iron oxide has on aventurine glazes, and her recent research into Persian luster firing. Also, the gang talk about Lisa’s development of the Rocket Kiln, a fast-firing smokeless wood kiln. Tune in for a dose of humor, technical tips, and a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a ceramic artist. Got questions or need advice? Drop us a line at ForFluxSakePodcast@gmail.com This week’s episode features the following topics: Glaze Troubleshooting, Rocket Kiln, Studio Stories, Ceramics Confessions, Lisa Orr, Red Iron Oxide, Filter Press, Studio Anecdotes, Behind the scenes, Potter, Ceramic Artist Today's episode is brought to you by Bailey Pottery Equipment and Archie Bray Residency.

53 min

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4.9

out of 5

147 Ratings

Unbelievably good

Aug 21

dnascarlet

I love this podcast. I work at a community kiln and always unload to this podcast!!!
Audio mixing

Sep 25

StephaniePond

PLEASE fix your audio mixing. It is painful to listen with the extreme variances in your hosts audio levels!!!!
So, so good.

May 23

Boourns82

I am not a potter and I don’t know anything about clay and/or glaze…until now. Love the show! It’s educational, informative, and for all levels.
Best Co-worker’s EVER!

Apr 30

Snoopy-Groupie

Kathy, Matt & Rose have become my long distance co-workers. As a studio ceramicist, I work alone with the exception of my fur-child/dust mop little terrier. Don’t worry- I DO mop. It is peaceful to have my studio solitude but SOMETIMES it’s just plain lonely. I have binge watched seasons of shows during production stages where I don’t really have to look at what I’m doing (pinching pots is something I do by feel, for example). I absolutely love the wisdom and enthusiasm that this trio bring to the production stages where I HAVE to look at my task. Even on days when the topic doesn’t SEEM like something pertinent to MY practice, I always learn something new or find a new ceramist to follow or resource to google. For clay geeks, this show can be as riveting as a murder mystery podcast as they discuss mysterious studio happenings in a “who done it” investigative style. Mysteries like “Why did my glaze do that thing that I HATE” or “how do I get away with NOT following the golden rules of studio ceramics?” These guys will always show up on time and they never fail to remind me of how much I DO know and of things I didn’t know that I needed to. Obviously, I love this show and I’m grateful to have these people as my on-call co-workers for those days when working alone feels restless and my home studio seems like a hermitage. Thanks you guys for your commitment to research and levity, particularly when discussing technical topics that tend to make a creative’s eyes glaze over (pun intended). This show is my FAV!

Matt and Rose Katz of the Ceramics Materials Workshop and Kathy King of the Ceramics Program at Harvard University discuss listener questions about clay and glaze. This show will have you laughing and learning about the chemistry behind ceramics in no time.