Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: flowers, friends, soda-fired, stamped, vases

With a threat of overnight frost killing off her flowers, looks like Rosene made herself a cute little arrangement of homegrown flowers in one of my stamped & soda-fired vases! Just trying to keep her summer flowers goin’ a bit longer…

Categories: creativity, friends, music

After dinner last night… THIS HAPPENED!!!

And yes, it was so exciting to finally be “in the room where it happened.” Such an amazing show!!! So well-crafted, such amazing wordplay, incredible choreography & talented performances!!! Such an amazing way to continue celebrating BIRTHDAY WEEK with my co-birthday buddy Nancy!!!

Categories: art fair, artists, friends

Always fun when friends & fellow potters stop by your art fair booth… especially when it’s Marsha and her kids! And to think that I first met Mikayla in 2013 when she snatched up one of my Mummy Ghouls at ART IN THE BARN… and in my head she’s still that cute little girl! Hard to believe it’s been ten years already!!!

From Marsha’s post on Facebook…
“What a beautiful day with my girls @mikayla_noelle_ and @alyssa_grace_101 at the Grassroots Art Fair in Glenview. Of course we couldn’t leave without @firewhenreadypottery Gary’s beautiful pottery!!! It’s been too long!!!”

Categories: food, friends

The new session of pottery classes started tonight with my Intermediate Wheelthrowing students… and Martin is back!!!

Need some good recipes?…
follow Martin on Instagram… and sign-up for his weekly newsletter! @martinsorge

Categories: food, friends, mugs, soda-fired, stamped

Looks like Allyn has a morning ritual…
with another morning ritual that enhances the “first” morning ritual?!

Anyone else?

Categories: friends, television

And there we have it… the “finale” to the BIG CORN-GRATULATIONS PARTY for Martin! Big winner of The Great American Baking Show! So much fun honoring his win, celebrating Martin and meeting his new best buddies & fellow contestants Sarah & Nirali… and seeing just how cute the three of them are together! I can’t wait to see how their “15 minutes of fame” continues… as they are all celebrities to me!!! Thanks for playing!

Categories: classes, friends, wheelthrowing

After the party, as we all got back to pottery class & projects, I invited Nirali & Sarah to stay and try their hand at the wheel. Sure, they can bake up a storm, but can they throw a pot?!!!

Turns out they can… even with a silly party hat on!!!

Categories: classes, friends, lillstreet, television

All in all… a wonderful finish to our Spring session of pottery classes! With a huge celebration of Martin’s BIG WIN on The Great American Baking Show. I had a great group of students who not only make great pottery, but were also more than willing to play along with my silly “reality TV” games! Congratulations again to Martin… our very favorite Top Baker!!!

And a quick peek at the “behind-the-scenes” of the photo shoot…
with Christine art directing the shoot!!!

Categories: friends, pottery, television

Overall, Martin’s SURPRISE PARTY was so much fun!!! And I was so glad that Sarah & Nirali could join us for the festivities… and to treat them with some of my handmade pottery! It was so much fun having our own “Reality TV Celebrities” in our class for the night!!! You can tell that the three of them have a very special friendship after the show. So cute… so adorable… all three of them!!!

Categories: classes, friends, pottery, television

Knowing that the winner of THE GREAT AMERICAN BAKING SHOW would win a glass cake plate “trophy”… I thought I would make a ceramic “trophy” cake plate for Martin just in case he didn’t win! BUT HE DID WIN!!! I thought tit would still be a great gift… so now he has TWO “trophies” to choose from next time he’s serving a homemade cake!!!… or bringing one to our pottery class???