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

LILLSTREET THROWDOWN : Challenge #6…
Pull the largest slab using 1.75-pounds of clay in 10 minutes… but using only one hand and no tools!!! Not as easy as it sounds!!!

Categories: challenge, classes, wheelthrowing

LILLSTREET THROWDOWN : Challenge #5…
Wheel throw the tallest cylinder… with a bottom & straight sides in 10 minutes!!!

Categories: challenge, classes, handbuilding

LILLSTREET THROWDOWN : Challenge #4…
Handbuild a perfect egg… hollow while using 1.75 pounds of clay in 10 minutes!!! Ellen versus Ruth… pinch pots but with two different approaches. One went equal half & half, while the other went fat end, skinny end!!!

Categories: challenge, classes

LILLSTREET THROWDOWN : Challenge #3…
Pull the longest handle without breaking… for 10 minutes! Shannon versus Joanna…
and who woulda’ thought it would be such a shoulder workout...well, me…
but obviously not Shannon who figured it out soon enough!!!

Categories: challenge, classes

LILLSTREET THROWDOWN : Challenge #2…
Handbuild a 5″tall free-standing pyramid in just 10 minutes… it was Claire versus Taylor… and GO!!!

Categories: challenge, classes

After everyone paired up, we started the THROWDOWN challenges… which is also when they found out their “pairs” were actually going to be competitors!!! One winner, one loser for each challenge on the wheel. Spin the “Wheel Of Challenges” and find out what’s in store for you & your competitor!

LILLSTREET THROWDOWN : Challenge #1…
Wheelthrow a dinner plate with the wheel going in the”wrong” direction!

Categories: challenge, classes

Last week in THE GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN class, I challenged my students
to spin the “Wheel Of Challenges.” And then hilarity ensued… as we let the games begin!!!

Categories: challenge, classes, lillstreet

Last night was the kick-off of “season six” of the GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN class! So exciting, as this is my favorite class to teach every year during the Winter session of classes. We started with each student throwing their own version of their “perfect” dinner plate… with some of them making their first plate EVER!!!

Once they finished the first plate, they were then challenged to make a second plate to MATCH!!! They had a great time followed by some good discussions & critiques.

And oh, but wait there’s more... their “homework” is to now decorate two plates to make their “matching” set solely with SLIP TRAILING!!! Again, a technique several of them have never tried before… more to come next week!

Categories: classes, vases

It’s been a long time coming, but one of my Advance Beginning Wheel students is finally coming towards the end of her “challenge.” Tessa is getting married in 2024… and decided in class a couple sessions ago to make a small “cutie-patootie” vase for everyone at her wedding. So Tess has been throwing off-the-hump to make a LOT of little vases. It started with a much smaller goal of a couple per table… but “someone” may have encouraged her to make MORE so everyone could get one! And luckily, Tessa took on my challenge!!!

Categories: classes, food, platters, pottery, stamped

Tonight was the last class for my Beginning Wheelthrowing class… celebrating again with a potluck & a “trading-stealing-exchanging” game. Category for the trade was a “not-so-basic bowl”. While the theme for our potluck was “Dips And The Vehicle To Get Them In Your Mouth .”

I decided to up-my-game, and yet stay brand loyal… with Hot Cocoa OREO’s and a fluffy Hot Cocoa Dip!!! A double whammy of yummy goodness!!!