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A prayer for potters who wish to continue down the road of text book glaze recipes, never really getting what they want, never getting control.
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If you are determined to take the traditional route of hunting for that ever-evasive magic glaze recipe rather than learn about materials and chemistry so you can fix and adjust what you have, then you need a prayer to help you through the troubled times ahead.
The Potter's Prayer
My God of the kiln, hallowed be thy name and may good firings come
Keep me in bliss on the broad easy road upon which the dragon leadeth me
Show me not responsibility or accountability and deaden my conscience
Let me rely on the recipes of others and protect me from the consequences of their advice
Lord, though I understand not materials or oxides or the basic mechanisms
Let me strike blindly that therein you may reveal your deep mysteries to me
Though I've walked through the valley of failure and despair
Let me not concern myself with questions about why I stay on this road.
Give me hope that the 'roulette wheel' of recipes will satisfy my needs
That my reputation will weather all manner of quality that I produce
Help me use up my stock of materials from years of testing strange recipes
Though I have entertained the undocumented and temperamental formula
Though I have trafficked in recipes, misleading others and being mislead
Forgive me as I have forgiven those who have misled me.
Amen.
Tony Hansen
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