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

HAPPY MUGSHOT MONDAY… celebrating with this sweet little Summer Camper mug!!! Sure, a little rough around the edges, but it shows promise… and they were only 9-years old!!!

Categories: mugs, textures, tools

Quick THANKS to the folks at MKM Pottery Tools for the shout-out on their social media platforms! Fun to be featured for the “hybrid mugs” I’ve been making… using their textured handrollers for the patterns! Be sure to check them out. And what a great reminder… I’ve got to make MORE of these “hybrid mugs”!!!

Categories: handbuilding, mugs, summer camp

Summer Camp with a younger group : 8-10 year olds… wheelthrowing on Monday & Tuesday, trimming & handles on Wednesday, handbilding (sp) on Thursday… and then slip painting on Friday! This group was a lot of fun… especially on Thursday when we tackled textured mugs. They threw their own slabs by hand with no rolling pins or slab rollers! Then they pressed in a texture & constructed their own mugs all by themselves! Amazing work!

Categories: art fair, mugs, soda-fired, stamped

This just in… and perfect for another MUGSHOT MONDAY!

“Gary, Just bought my mug in Glenview yesterday and today I shared some tea with my giraffe collection. I love my new mug. Thanks for making it!” – Marcia

Categories: mugs, process, production, stamped

Another batch of mugs assembled with fresh handles!!!

Categories: mugs, process, production

Nothing like working at the GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR all day today… and then spending the night in the studio pulling handles & making more mugs!!! And then back to the art fair again tomorrow! No rest for the weary.

Categories: artists, mugs, My Talented Friends

My good friend & former pottery student Kristen is doing a great pop-up this weekend! And who doesn’t love handmade pottery AND chocolate?!!! Stop by the Irving Park location of KATHERINE ANNE CONFECTIONS this weekend to see some of Kristen’s pottery & grab some yummy chocolate too!!!


And if you stop by Saturday between 1:00-2:00pm, Kristen will be in the store doing live demos of her carving techniques!


Plus, if you follow, tag & share them both on Instagram, you’ll be entered in a raffle for pottery & chocolate!!! Two of my favorite things!!!

Categories: artists, mugs

So I had a bit of regret for NOT snagging a fun new mug from Breana Ferreira during the Friday Night Opening Party in Aurora for the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR. But then I saw small table at Lillstreet with a pop-up moving sale as Breana is moving to Tennessee for a new artist residency. So I scored this great little mug… for a great “moving sale” price!!! Loving the textures & colors!!!

You can check-out more of Breana’s work on her Instagram… @brebreanam

Categories: mugs, soda-fired, stamped

Looks like Lora is enjoying her new blue stamped & soda-fired mug that she picked-up during the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR. Perfect for another Mugshot Monday… but what day is groovy-cool coaster day???

Categories: mugs, stamped

Congratulations to Jody & Ira who are celebrating their 25th anniversary… with some quiet time together with their morning coffee ritual in a couple of stamped & glazed mugs!