Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: holiday, special events

While the weather outside is by no means frightful…
it finally snowed today INSIDE Navy Pier! Christmas has come early!
Okay, so maybe it’s just fake “glitter” snow… but none the less, it’s snow!

It’s all part of my ongoing “glitter gig”… and this is a prime example of why I’m wearing glitter
a lot more frequently than I should be. In fact, that’s why I call it my “glitter gig.” Well this “gig”
is to convert the cavernous Festival Hall on Navy Pier into a Winter WonderFest. Complete
with an indoor ice skating rink, carnival rides, entertainment and some of the best holiday
decorations anywhere in the city! It’s a great holiday activity for kids of all ages! And “my part”
of the fun is decorating the Santa’s Village & Reindeer Express. A quaint little holiday town
where a train drives kids around to see the Village. It’s my job to make sure it’s “magical”
for the kids every year! And a little more glitter makes the snow sparkle… like it’s almost real?!

And in the center of the Village is the 42-foot Christmas Tree that can be seen from all ends
of Festival Hall. Decorated with thousands of lights & ornaments, and hundreds of golden
presents for the toy soldiers to stand guard over.

Categories: creativity

You’ve got to know the warning signs…

And yes, I need an intervention… and have since I was a kid!

Categories: art fair, holiday

Thanks again to everyone who came to “My Home For The Holidays” Home Show.
And if you were one of the ones who missed it… you’re going to get another chance!
Plus, it’s perfect timing just to finish off your holiday gift list!!!

“Mud & Metal” : Another Holiday Home Show
Saturday, December 10th from 10:00am-6:00pm

And joining me again this year… as the “metal” part of the title… is my friend and
master metalsmith Sarah Chapman. My place will be filled with pottery in most of the rooms,
and Sarah will take over the dining room with her work.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 10thjust two weeks before Christmas!!!
More details to come…

Categories: holiday

In the continuing saga of my “glitter gig”… the holiday season is always busy.
It seems like everyday is spent making Christmas happen” all over the Chicagoland area.
So even though today is considered a holiday for most working folks, for me it’s just
another day and another tree. This time, we were at a large credit card corporate office
to decorate their campus! This 24′ tree in the rotunda is just their holiday centerpiece.

Categories: holiday

A special Thank You to everyone who has helped make this year so special.
Thank you to all of you have been so supportive throughout the year.
Thank you to those who have encouraged my adventures.
Thank you to those who have shared your lives.
Thank you to those who have made me laugh.

It’s also a day to be spent with friends & family… and a lot of great food.
I’ll be spending the day at my Aunt’s house out in St. Charles with my family, and my cousins’
family from Minnesota. And I’m “responsible” for the non-pie dessert option. So I just finished
making a cheesecake… and some homemade hot fudge to pour over it all!

Categories: art fair

For those of you who couldn’t quite make it over this weekend,
here’s a quick glimpse at what you missed…

Categories: art fair, friends

Here’s a HUGE thank you to all of my loyal friends & customers who stopped by
this weekend at my Holiday Home Show. Whether shopping for everyone on your list,
or just hanging out on my sofa, it was so great to see all of you at my place!
So many friendly faces. So many happy shoppers.

Thank you all for always being there, and being so supportive every time!
I couldn’t continue this adventure without your support & encouragement.

Categories: art fair

With my Holiday Home Show almost ready to go…
here’s one last reminder before the sow kicks off tomorrow morning!
There are HUNDREDS of reasons to come shopping this weekend.

I have over a HUNDRED mugs ready for the choosing.
I have over a HUNDRED ornaments ready to decorate your holidays.
And you can SAVE HUNDREDS with the bargains & discounted items on my back porch
at the “Tired Of Shlepping” Sale.”

HUNDREDS of reasons why you should kick-off your holiday shopping at my place
this weekend at my Holiday Home Show.

Categories: artists, friends, My Talented Friends, textures, tiles

Tonight was the opening of Sarah Chapman’s Trunk Show at Lillstreet Art Center.
Stunning work as always. Click on her name in the LINKS section of my blog to see more
of her metalsmithing work. As always, her work was meticulous & inspired. Such great
design & craftsmanship throighout her collection. However…

The piece that really caught my interest was her new “tile” wall piece!
Squares of textured pieces of metal showcasing several different methods, textures and
finishes. All connected with jump rings so it can hang on the wall like a “tile” tapestry!
Here’s just a small section of the wall hanging. Love it…

And no wonder… it does look somewhat familiar to me.
Kinda like a section of my own textured tiled wall?!

Categories: art fair, holiday, special events

Don’t forget that this weekend is “My Home For The Holidays” Home Show!
Both Saturday 11/19 and Sunday 11/20 from 10:00am-6:00pm.
Whether you’re starting your holiday gift shopping, splurging on yourself
or just hanging out on my sofa, I’d love to see you this weekend!

If you need my home address, just send me a quick e-mail to
gary@firewhenreadypottery.com