Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: glaze, holiday, process, production

The kiln is loaded & firing… with a LOT of new Christmas Trees for this weekend’s SECOND HOLIDAY HOME SHOW! It seemed like the ones with stars & holes were the big hit last time… so I made another large batch with holes & stars!!! It’s beginning to look a LOT like Christmas!!!

And if there are any left after this weekend’s HOME SHOW,
does anyone want a quickie online Facebook Sale?!
Is there a preference?… late Sunday night or early Monday morning???

Categories: glaze, holiday, process, production

A little early morning glazing session. Working on the newest batch of Christmas trees for next weekend’s SECOND HOLIDAY HOME SHOW! Trying to replenish the shelves for those missed-out the first time!!!

Categories: color, glaze, holiday

Lots of colors, lots of patterns…
close-up details of some Christmas Trees fresh from the kiln!

Categories: bowls, glaze, holiday, kiln firing

Here’s a little sneaky-peek of some of my new Christmas Trees as I start unloading another glaze kiln! Just a couple more days until this weekend’s HOLIDAY HOME SHOW!!! Tons of pottery everywhere… and a lot of trees too!!!

Categories: glaze, kiln firing

Glazing & loading… time to add another shelf and LOT more trees!
This is just the glaze first kiln… I think I might try to squeeze in two more glaze kilns
before next weekend! Dare to dream…

Categories: glaze, mugs, process, production

As most of you know, I hate glazing! But oddly, I totally enjoy waxing bottoms!!! A zen-like process with one clean hand & one wax hand. Wax on, wax off. Now I just need to keep my motivation alive & start glazing all of these if I hope to have them ready for next weekend’s HOLIDAY HOME SHOW!!! Wish me luck…

Categories: collaborations, glaze, process, production, terra cotta

We’re SO close to the end of these collaboration birdhouses!!! Cory has added some clear glaze… yes, green now turns clear in the kiln. The roofs are glazed for weather protection… as well as some of the whimsical add-ons just to make them even more fun!!! Beautifully done Cory.

Oh great… now I want mint chocolate chip ice cream!!!

Categories: glaze, kiln firing, pottery, process, production

As usual, I added some masking tape “seat belts” to my studio rolling cart… so that all of my glazed & waded pots would make it safely down to the kiln room via the rickety freight elevator… with none of them jumpin’ off along the way!

Categories: glaze, process, production, stamped

After applying a layer of tenmoku glaze into the stamped impressions. I wipe off the top surface with a damp sponge. This cleans the surface layer, but keeps the darker glaze in the stamps.

Categories: glaze, lidded jars, mugs, process, production

Doing a little glaze inlay into the stamped impressions. I like to fill the stampings with a dark tenmoku glaze so the pattern stands out a bit more after the soda-firing!