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

Just a little carving with my favorite tool from DiamondCore Tools! Another bowl from last week’s class demo… now carving patterns through ombré blended slips. More is more… right???

Categories: bowls, sgraffito

Another bowl in need of some more carving. I mean, there was a solid band of slip screamin’ out for a little sumthin’-sumthin’!!! So I did a bit more carving here too… after camp & before class tonight!

Categories: bowls, classes, stamped

Just a little early morning stamping session in the studio. Adding a bit more detail & texture to my already “not-so-basic” bowls from last week’s class demo! You know my motto… MORE IS MORE!!!

Categories: bowls

Looks like it’s the start of a “berry” good day… with Kristy picking some fresh berries from her yard with her favorite “berry-picking bowl.”

Categories: bowls, summer camp

And with that… another week of Summer Camp comes to an end! Five days of fun teaching kids to make their own pottery on the wheel… like this ADORABLE cat bowl that C.C. made this week!!! The cutest.

Categories: bowls, classes, wheelthrowing

Last night with my Beginning Wheel class, we focused on making bowls on purpose… and NOT cylinders gone bad! After my first demo, I made “a few more” bowls while they practiced their bowls. With the plan of a fun Part Two demo to come… altering & decorating!!!

Categories: bowls, classes, wheelthrowing

Part Two of last night’s class demo was altering & decorating the bowls… making them “not-so-basic bowls!!! Encouraging my beginning students to make their bowls a bit more personal, to add some style & most importantly to just have MORE FUN with their clay!!! No one ever said that bowls need to stay plain & round, right?!

Categories: bowls, food, stamped

Healthy greens in stamped greens! Thanks to my friend Sarah for making this yummy salad last weekend… and serving it in one of my glazed serving bowls. Ever notice how handmade pottery can even make “healthy” food look better?! HA!!!

Categories: art fair, artists, bowls, glaze, My Talented Friends

Fresh from the ST. CROIX VALLEY POTTERY TOUR… this beautiful mishima porcelain bowl by Steven Young Lee that came home with me. Not only is it a stunning bowl with crazy-cool colors streaming out of that hand-carved criss-cross pattern… but it was also made by my own favorite pottery teacher!

Yes… Steve Lee was one of my early pottery teachers back at the old Lillstreet location. It was a more advanced wheelthrowing class… and Steve was very clear with his expectations right from the start. A great teacher… with great pots… and always good to see him again on the Minnesota Pottery Tour.

Categories: bowls, classes, special events

Not only did I provide bone dry bowls for my SURFACE DECORATION class while I was gone… but I also left them a package of Birthday OREOs for two of my students. Happy Birthdays Maryanna & Sara!!!