Opening the kiln — kitty memorial pieces

Today we opened the kiln and there they were — our kitty memorial pieces, come through the first fire just as we'd hoped. Two little hand-sculpted cats, pale and quiet, sitting in the warm light of the studio.

They're for a beloved pet who passed. It's hard to put into words what that means — to hold something you've shaped by hand and know it carries a small life that's gone. We made these to remember him by, and opening the kiln felt like being given him back for a moment.

This is only the bisque fire. Now these will be glazed and fired again to show the finished work — a second trip through the heat that brings the color up and seals it in. The piece isn't finished yet, but today was the day it stopped being clay and became a keepsake.

We'll fire them again and share the finished pieces soon.