Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: glaze, platters, pottery, stamped, textures

For all you “Purple Lovers” out there… there’s only ONE of these large stamped platters in purple for ART IN THE GARDEN this weekend. No pre-sales, no calling dibs… we’re just going old-school with first-come, first-served. You might want to come early tomorrow if you really love purple?!!!

Categories: glaze, mugs

While some of you may have missed it in last night’s ikebana post… it was indeed PURPLE!!! And yes, that means I have a new glaze in my pottery repertoire!!! It’s nice shade of purple that highlights my stamping textures. ART IN THE GARDEN will be the “big debut” of my new purple glaze… and it might just be a small batch, limited quantities situation. We’ll see how it’s received at the art fair?!

Categories: glaze

Well THIS can’t be good?!!!

While I was glazing a bunch of class demo pieces, I went to dunk this flower pot into the glaze bucket using the tongs. And when I pulled it back out, I saw THIS!!! Sure, flower pots should have some good drainage holes, but this is ridiculous. I guess the area where the stamped impressions are was a bit too thin for the pressure of the tongs lifting the pot out of the bucket?!

Shoulda stayed away from that part apparently… well, maybe next time?!

Categories: glaze, process, production

So while I was soda-firing all day yesterday, I also took some time to clean-off my teacher shelves, do a little wipe-down & tackle the piles of bisque! My students all know that glazing is my least favorite part of the process… so my class demo pieces tend to pile up. Sometimes for several sessions! So yesterday I finally glazed everything (except for the platters… let’s not get crazy!) while I was there firing.

Sure, I might not have been too “creative” with my glaze choices… but at least they’ll be done! And making room for NEW demo pots when we start the class session in a week!

Categories: glaze, kiln firing, process, production

Plenty of pots & pumpkins… all glazed, wadded & ready for the soda kiln. The masking tape is just a little “seat belt” to keep everything in place on the shelves as I bring my cart form my studio downstairs on the rickety freight elevator! Spent my Friday night loading the kiln… after the last day of Summer Camp!!!

Categories: glaze, mugs, process, production

My summer campers just left for the day… so now it’s back to glazing & wadding more mugs! Yes, it’s the last week of summer camp… and I’m trying to glaze & finish a full soda kiln at the same time. Days with the kids, nights in my studio!

Categories: glaze, summer camp

So I guess when I told my Summer Campers to NOT get any glaze on the bottoms of their cups… something got lost in translation? Good thing they know how to use a sponge… start wiping!!!

Categories: glaze, stamped

Always fun to finish another commission project… even if you “forget” to post pictures of it?! I loved how this set of side plates turned out… each with a different stamp pattern… half of them smooth, half of them with a groovy spiral. Thanks Chris for this fun project… so glad you loved them all. Can’t wait to get started our your new dinner plates now!!!

Categories: glaze, kiln firing, mugs

It’s been a LONG day at the studio… morning camp, afternoon camp, glazing, more glazing… and then teaching again tonight. And as if that weren’t enough, I also loaded a kiln after class … later than planned as the person before me didn’t unload their pieces yesterday as they were scheduled to do. I had to wait… finally able to load late tonight after class!!! Here’s just one layer of the kiln with some new, colorful mugs… which might be coming “still warm” to the GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR this weekend?!

Categories: glaze, mugs, production

Between summer camp & teaching tonight, I’ve been trying to get a lot of glazing done! Trying my best to squeeze in one last glaze kiln before this weekend’s GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR. It’s been rough… as glazing is my least favorite part of the whole process!