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

Sure, it was freezing cold with a pretty strong wind… but I just HAD to get outside to play this morning! Enjoying a nice sunrise… even with all the warm layers on! Although I do think I need warmer gloves?!

Categories: classes, clay, color, vases

And here’s the vase I threw last night as part of my marbled clay class demo… now trimmed & skinned to reveal the marbling better. Enamored by the three color combo, the layers & ripples. We decided in class that maybe this one should be soda-fired with no glaze on the outside just to see how the soda effects alter or enhance the marbled surface! That’s the plan!

Categories: bowls, clay

After a bit of trimming & shaving the “skin” off my marbled clay demo from last night, the layers of colored clay were clearly revealed. Nicely layered & evenly distributed. Now I need to start thinking about how I’m going to glaze it… to enhance the colored clays and NOT obliterate it with some thick gloppy glaze!

Categories: nature, seasons, weather

Still enjoying some beautiful Fall moments & colors. Even though it feels like their time is quite limited. It came down as snow, but quickly melted into water droplets.

Categories: nature, weather

Another wet morning… oh wait,
I think that looks like snow coming down?!

Categories: classes, stamps

As part of me “demo-on-demand” teaching philosophy… we also tackled a quick demo in stamp making tonight in class. I’ll try to get them bisqued quickly so my students can start using them next week in class!

Categories: classes, clay

After doing my “simple” demo version of marbled clay… one of my students Kelly decided to tackle it with a bit more precision. Cutting, layering, sticking together & making her own version of a Rubik’s Cube!!! I can’t wait to see what she makes with this amazing colored cube next week in class!

Categories: bowls, classes, clay

Tonight in my Intermediate Wheelthrowing class, we played with some marbled colored clays. We used a light B-clay, a brown clay, and a special “celadon” green clay I made by wedging some Mason stain into it earlier in the week.

A bit of layering, just a little bit of wedging and I got some nice marbled effects in my two demo pieces. When they dry to leather-hard, I’ll trim them and “shave off” the outer skin to reveal even more of the marbled effect.

Categories: color, flowers

What a difference one letter can make…
so today we’re also celebrating MUMSHOT MONDAY!!!
Again, with orange… my fave!!!

Categories: mugs, soda-fired, stamped

Celebrating a very chilly MUGSHOT MONDAY here in Chicago with another mug with very autumnal colors! Perfect… as orange is my favorite color!!!