Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: art fair, artists, collaborations, flower pots, stamped, terra cotta

Well, it looks like the collaboration project is finally “collaborating” together! Yep… this year it’s terra cotta flowerpots for the WIN!!! I made all of the flowerpots & water saucers with my stamping, and now Cory is adding her own special sort of handbuilt whimsy! Love her creativity… even more when you see them come together in COLOR!!! More photos to come… as the “Big Reveal” will happen at ART IN THE GARDEN this weekend in Glenview!

Categories: art fair, artists, collaborations, porcelain, sgraffito

And speaking of “laboring” on Labor Day… now that metalsmith Amy Taylor has finished her part of our collaboration with all of her sgraffito doodles on my porcelain pieces, I can now get them into a glaze kiln quickly so they’re done & out in time for next weekend’s ART IN THE GARDEN! This one of the best features of ART IN THE GARDEN… several of the artists work together on different one-of-a-kind collaborations that will only be available next weekend in Glenview. And they’re all limited editions, so you might need to get there early!!!

Categories: art fair, artists, collaborations, handbuilding, terra cotta

Looks like Cory McCrory is busy in the studio “laboring” this Labor Day… still making more parts & pieces for our ART IN THE GARDEN collaboration project. We’ll be debuting our one-of-a-kind limited edition pieces next weekend in Glenview!!

Categories: art fair, artists, collaborations, sgraffito, surface decoration

Here’s a quick glimpse of a little “sumthin-sumthin” going on in Amy Taylor’s world. Just a little scratching, a little doodling, a little sgraffito-ing! Yes, metalsmiths can play with clay too… especially when it comes to collaboration projects for ART IN THE GARDEN!!! More to come… and mark your calendars for September 7th & 8th!!!

Categories: art fair, artists, collaborations, handbuilding, terra cotta

Just a quick glimpse into Cory McCrory’s studio as she is working on our collaboration pieces for ART IN THE GARDEN. I see lots of parts & pieces in the making… can’t wait to see how she puts all of these little treasures together!!!

Don’t forget ART IN THE GARDEN is coming soon with lots of great collaboration projects amongst the artists! September 7th & 8th in Glenview. For more details… www.grassrootsartfair.com

Categories: art fair, artists, collaborations, sgraffito

Time for another collaboration project for ART IN THE GARDEN. A few porcelain pieces with some black underglazed rims… getting ready for metalsmith Amy Taylor to do some sgraffito “magic” on them! Can’t wait to see the cute critters she carves into them this year!

Categories: art fair, artists, pottery

Come join us out in the park in Glenview on Saturday & Sunday from 11:00am-5:00pm. Watch for the white tents on the corner of Lake & Waukegan Roads in front of Lyon Elementary School. Lots of art, lots of fun… lots of pottery looking for a new home!!!

Categories: art fair, artists

We’re just about two months away from ART IN THE GARDEN… my favorite grassroots art fair with a bunch of My Talented Friends!!! Mark your calendar now! And now I need to focus on a couple “surprise” collaboration projects too!

ART IN THE GARDEN : Saturday, September 7th & Sunday, September 8th

Categories: artists, murals

Gotta love a good mural… especially when it’s crisp & clean with a groovy color palette. Located in a cool lofty warehouse space along the Chicago River. A fun whimsical mural by artist Anthony Lewellen. Just another gazelle leaping through some rings!

Check him out on Instagram – @antckone

Categories: artists, mugs, My Talented Friends

My good friend & former pottery student Kristen is doing a great pop-up this weekend! And who doesn’t love handmade pottery AND chocolate?!!! Stop by the Irving Park location of KATHERINE ANNE CONFECTIONS this weekend to see some of Kristen’s pottery & grab some yummy chocolate too!!!


And if you stop by Saturday between 1:00-2:00pm, Kristen will be in the store doing live demos of her carving techniques!


Plus, if you follow, tag & share them both on Instagram, you’ll be entered in a raffle for pottery & chocolate!!! Two of my favorite things!!!