Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: bowls, classes, surface decoration

So here are my “not-so-basic bowls” from Tuesday night’s beginner class demo. Again, altering all of my bowls with some quick twists, flicks & slips! Trying to do something to them to make them more fun & more unique. My students really seemed to enjoy the demo… as I saw the “light bulb” go off for many of them as I demo’d. I don’t expect them to “copy” me… but hopefully employ some of the techniques… but twist them somehow to make it their own!

And I’m sure you’ve already guessed… and yes, I will be doing even more to them up in my studio over the next day or two. There might just be a bit of stamping here there… allegedly…

So here are all of my class demo bowls. Keep in mind they all started out as very simple round bowls. Nothing special. Nothing col. Just plain & round… and then I PLAYED with them!!!

Bowl #1 – Two simple fluted twists opposite each other.

Bowl #2 – Eight fluted twists evenly space around the bowl.

Bowl #3 – A simple flared-out flange about an inch wide.

Bowl #4 – Another flared out flange… twice as wide!!!

Bowl #5 – Combined fluting & flared out flange.

Bowl #6 – A split rim treatment… then dented inwards at two places opposite each other. This one we decided to keep like this… knowing that I can add an over-the-top handle to turn it into a “basket bowl.”

Bowl #7 – Another split rim… and then pinched together in eight places.

Bowl #8 – Split rim – dented inwards at four places.

Bowl #9 – Split rim dented inwards & outwards!

Bowl #10 – Sliced through the sides, and then pulled-in & overlapped.


And then it was time to introduce thick slip as a surface decoration option! I like to use white so it’s there for texture so the glaze can pool & puddle over it… and not a dramatic color “forced” onto the bowl.

Bowl #11 – Just one splatter paintbrush stroke of thick white slip… kind of a joke, but then I actually started to like it.

Bowl #12 – A layer of thick white slip with the rounded end of a tool dragged through while the wheel was spinning.

Bowl #13 – Thick white slip banded… setting up a canvas area for sgraffito carving later.

Bowl #14 – Thick white slip with a chattering effect… my favorite technique!!!

Bowl #15 – An ombre’ blend of white to green slip… also waiting for some sgraffito carving to come…

Bowl #16 – Another ombre’ blend of white to green slips… and then a spiral from a a tool dragged through while the wheel was spinning.

And for now… all of these bowls are up in my studio under plastic for the night.
As there’s most likely going to be some stamping & detailing coming soon…

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