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

Handles are attached & mugs are made. So now it’s time to add some accents of colored flashing slip before I set them out to dry. I like to paint the top “banded” area, and a little touch of color on each of the stamps. If all goes well, this colored slip will turn orange in my next soda firing!

Categories: mugs, process, production

Time to make some more mugs… or at least start adding handles! I pull them the old-fashioned way, and then loop them over so they can set-up a bit. I’m not sure what it says about me, but this kinda reminds me of a Rorschach Test… butterfly?… rib cage?… you tell me!!!

Categories: friends, mugs, special events

It may be just another typical MUGSHOT MONDAY… but it doesn’t look too typical for Allyn! Sure, she may be holding her favorite mug… but it looks like she might have something else to show-off today… a new bit of BLING on her finger!!!

Categories: bike, sunrise

Clear skies & shimmering reflections. Another quiet morning ride along the lakefront. Getting ready for the beginning of another week of Summer Camp!

Categories: food, holiday, platters, pottery, stamped

Celebrating another holiday… because it’s NATIONAL CHEESECAKE DAY! And here’s a yummy one… chocolate cheesecake, brownies & caramel sauce. What’s not to like?!

Celebrate the cheesecake!!!

Categories: animals, nature

So I made a couple “friends” today while I was playing along the lakefront this afternoon on my bike. While I know one is a typical seagull… err, Ring-Billed Gull to be specific. But I’m not quite sure what the other bird is?

Anyone…

UPDATE :

Okay… so we have confirmation from Karen… an avid birdwatcher…
“Juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron. One of the last Illinois breeding colonies is at Lincoln Park Zoo.”

Categories: process, production, wheelthrowing

Just a quick morning of wheelthrowing… but it’s FAR too nice outside to work in the studio all day. So… wrapping them up because my bike is calling me again… gotta go play outside!!!

Categories: nature

Well, THIS wasn’t there yesterday!!! Kind of an early morning surprise laying across the bike trail as I was going under the bridge… whomp, there it is!!!

Categories: bike, sunrise

With one beautiful cluster of clouds on the horizon, the timing was kinda perfect for some stunning sunrise reflections… and a peek-a-boo sunrise moment or two!!!


Categories: clay, process, studio

Kicking-off the weekend with a big pile of reclaimed clay! It’s been “slaking-down” in my reclaim bin for quite awhile now… finally time to pull it out, dry it up a bit, start wedging… and then start working with my new pile of FREE CLAY!!!