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

Lots of flames finding their way through the kiln bricks of the door! Mesmerizing & magical. I think my workshop participants were smitten with the flaming glow… just as I am every time I fire the soda kiln!!!

Categories: creativity, lillstreet

So this adorable creature just showed up on the Lillsttreet Show-Off Shelves… and I’m thinking he might need to be nominated for a new Lillstreet Mascot – just sayin’!!! Loving his punky attitude! Well done Heather!!!

Categories: classes, lillstreet, soda-fired

Back stack loaded last night… pretty tight to the arched roof… nice!!!

Categories: classes, lillstreet, soda-fired

An empty soda kiln full of potential. Just getting ready for the start of my three-day SODA-FIRING WORKSHOP at Lillstreet Art Center. Tonight we’ll learn about soda-firing, glaze, wad & load this kiln. Tomorrow we fire and then they come back next week to unload and find their treasures!

Categories: glaze, lillstreet, process, production

Getting ready for tonight’s SODA-FIRING WORKSHOP at Lillstreet. My students will be bringing their own bisque to glaze, wad & load tonight. I am glazing up some of my own work as “kiln filler” in case they don’t have enough work to fill the kiln. It’s always tough to estimate the amount of work going into the kiln load. Some of my workshop students have never soda-fired or even been to Lillstreet before… so it will be an interesting mix tonight, and I just want to have a back-up plan ready in case they don’t bring enough work!!!

Categories: classes, food, holiday, lillstreet

Spent the afternoon teaching a soda-firing class subbing for Levi today. It was a great group, but it was kinda killing me to see bright blue skies through the studio skylights… mocking me to go play outside! Luckily, we all got to “celebrate” NATIONAL OREO COOKIE DAY with single serving packets that I brought for them to take home!!!

Categories: classes, lillstreet, surface decoration, wheelthrowing

So it looks like the Spring Session of classes just opened for online registration at Lillstreet Art Center. I will be teaching three evening classes… including my usual Monday Advanced Wheelthrowing & Tuesday Beginning Wheelthrowing classes.

Potter working clay on wheel

NEW FOR SPRING… I will also be teaching a Surface Decoration Class on Thursday evenings where we’ll focus on a different technique each week. My goal is that we can do some great interactive demos & class projects each week where everyone actual tries each technique on their own work!

Sign-up quick… Lillstreet in-person classes are still limited to eight students, socially-distanced & fully-masked due to pandemic protocols. Be safe… stay masked… and come get muddy with us this Spring!!!

Categories: lillstreet, nature, seasons, weather

More natural textures still dusted with a bit of snow
at Lillstreet Art Center… perfect for a little Texture Tuesday!

Categories: lillstreet

Preparing to teach my morning Wheelthrowing class under beautiful blue skies through the Lillstreet skylights.

Categories: classes, lillstreet, pottery, wheelthrowing

Looking to find a little more zen & calm in your 2021???…
don’t forget a new session of pottery classes start next week at Lillstreet Art Center. My Beginning & Intermediate classes are already full, but there is still space in my Advanced Wheelthrowing class on Thursday mornings from 10:00am-1:00pm. Click on the link if you want to improve your skills, streamline your techniques, or just relax & get muddy with us starting next week!

Click here – Advanced Wheelthrowing classes!