When I got to the studio tonight, I stopped by my teacher’s mailbox pouch to get my students’
shelf labels. I also found this wonderful note from one of my favorite summer campers.
Completely making my day. So heart-warming that a kid would be so thoughtful. And knowing
that I’ve done something along the way to touch a part of his life.

Thanks Lorenzo – you’re a great kid!!!

Early this morning, I was back out on my bike and I could tell it was going to be special.
The clouds were in all the right places. Making the sunrise pretty darn spectacular!

A very special day for remembrance & reflection. I remember watching it all unfold
live on national television. Amazed by the day’s events playing out right in front of us.
Events that have changed our lives forever.

Eleven years ago today…

It’s always so exciting to see what happened while the kiln was firing.
You glaze them and imagine one thing… sometimes they work, sometimes
they don’t, and sometimes… it’s just a wonderful surprise!!!

Load Friday. Fire Saturday. Cool Sunday. Unload Monday. Four days of fun!!!
Tonight I unloaded my kiln, packed it all up, cleaned & scraped the shelves and
shlepped it all home. Maybe tomorrow I’ll have time to actually admire my new pieces?!

And then, somewhere in the middle of the kiln, there were some other beautiful things
happening in there… especially with some newer, bright pops of color!

It was a chilly weekend in Chicago.
This morning I needed long sleeves & windbreaker vest.

But as long as it’s still this beautiful, I can put up with it.
However… I WANT MY SUMMER BACK!!!

It seems so long ago that I had my big “debut” on HGTV.
Three months to be exact. It was the same weekend of the Hinsdale Art Fair.

It was fun working the host in my studio. Meg and I had a good time playing
in the clay learning how to make the textured cabinet knobs that she would use
in the kitchen renovation. I just wish more of our footage would have made it
into the episode. Instead of the minute-forty-seconds that was my “edited” footage.
I’d really love to get my hands on those out-takes!!! Trust me, I was hysterical!!!

Anyway, a friend of mine found a very abridged online video version of the episode.
Click on the link and see “everything” in about 3 minutes.
Which includes about 6 seconds of me about a quarter of the way into the video.

Video link : Gary Jackson on HGTV Meg’s Great Rooms

I’ve been “trapped” inside all day firing my kiln. It’s going well…
cones are dropping fast and I just started introducing the soda mixture. Then I
finally looked out the window and saw that there’s fun stuff going on outside too!!!

As part of today’s “must-clean-studio-while-firing-kiln” program, I just plopped
out another huge pile of reclaim clay onto my plaster bat. This is the second half
of the scraps that Amy bequeathed to me earlier this year. Yippee – more free clay!!!

After a very short overnight “nap,” I was back to the studio quite early
this morning to get my kiln started. It’s a ful day of firing… which sort of
makes me “trapped” here at Lillstreet all day. It’s a perfect chance to get
caught up on things – like cleaning my studio! It is such a mess from the
past couple days of glazing. It needs some serious help.

So here’s my “inspiration ” for the day…
Wouldn’t it be nice in if my studio looked a little more like this?!