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

Looks like Tina’s Mom has a great collection of my green pottery! And I love when I see people actually using their pieces… and not just sitting on a shelf. Thanks for the photos Tina!

Categories: flowers, hybrid mugs, mugs, soda-fired

Not every mug has to be used for coffee! Sometimes a hybrid mug looks even better with a splash of brightly colored flowers!!! Perfect for another Mugshot Monday!

Categories: art fair, artists, mugs

Another mug for my collection… from the ST. CROIX VALLEY POTTERY TOUR… by the amazing Bianka Groves. Such a simple idea… just a lot of dots?! Not so easy. But the precision & refinement of this sweet porcelain mug was too much for me to pass up!!!

Categories: art fair, artists, mugs

Also from the ST. CROIX VALLEY POTTERY TOUR… this great mug from Ryan Myers. I’ve seen his work several times before… and finally one of his peeps came home with me!!! Another addition to my collection.

Categories: art fair, artists, friends, mugs, My Talented Friends

Last Sunday during the pottery tour, I also got this beautiful mug from my friend Delores Fortuna. Always fun to chat with her while admiring her work. If you need a mug too… Delores will also be part of the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR… just a month away!!! Mark your calendars… I’ll be part of the Tour as well.

June 7th & 8th from 10:00am-5:00pm.
More information at www.northernilpotterytour.com

Categories: mugs, process, production

Just me here painting some accents of colored flashing slip on this next batch of mugs.
The colored slip should turn orange & show good flashing marks after being soda-fired.

Categories: hybrid mugs, mugs, process, production, surface decoration, textures, tools

Here’s my latest batch of hybrid mugs… with groovy cool patterns & textures made with some of my newest MKM Pottery Tools handrollers. Now they just need some flashing slip while they’re still leatherhard. Then it’s off to drying, bisque firing, glazing, wadding & soda-firing. Still a long ways to go before these are ready to go!!! Lots of steps… not just in the making, but also in the finishing.

Categories: hybrid mugs, mugs, process, production, surface decoration

Assembled… now with handles! This latest batch of hybrid mugs finally all have handles… thus making them MUGS!!! I’m a firm believer that a “mug” by this potter’s definition must have a handle!!! So they’re all attached & ready to “relax” a little under some plastic overnight… before I come back to touch them up a bit more before drying.

Categories: mugs, process, production

Here they are… a bunch of handles pulled and almost ready to go! I like to loop them over like this so they can set-up for awhile before attaching. I want them to be soft & malleable… but not sticky & squishy. Plus, the loop sets-up most of the handle’s curve for later when it goes onto the mug!

Categories: clay, mugs, process, production

And here we go… this is how my mug handles begin!
Little wedged clay nuggets ready to be pulled the traditional way!