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

I unloaded my soda kiln earlier this week but have been too busy to post photos. Too busy making the “new Ghoul.” Until now. So here’s a quick peek inside my fired kiln as I was unloading last Monday night… with a lot of the pots that will be coming with me to ART IN THE BARN this weekend in Barrington!

Here’s the front stack. Always a little heavier soda build-up. A little too gray for my liking… personal preference… but that means the pots “inside” will be nice!

 

And the back stack. A lot brighter colors. Not so much gray.
And some pretty sweet new teapots if I do say so myself…

Categories: artists, pottery, television

So what would happen if two of my favorite things came together???
Pottery AND Reality TV.

Well, it looks like it’s about to happen over “on the other side of the pond.”
Seems like there’s a new Reality TV show brewing with potters as contestants.
Not sure of the details, or if we can see i there in the States, but… I’m in !!!

Click here for the preview commercial on YouTube!

 

Categories: classes, glaze, pottery

Last night was the last night of the Summer session of my Tuesday night Beginning Wheel pottery class. It’s been a great ten-weeks of fun for the students. Each of them has made great advancements in their throwing. So we celebrated with a very sweet potluck, and a fun “Plate Exchange Game.” Everyone had to bring in a plate they had made during class to trade & exchange with someone else. Everyone brought in a plate and left with a different one.

By the end of the shenanigans, Catherine had my amber celadon stamped plate, and I ended up with this sweetie from my student Diane. She has been a “pottery sponge” every step of the way this session. Whether it has been tackling every demo, or finding as many new techniques as possible on YouTube, Diane has been cranking out some fun pieces all session long. This plate was thrown with Stoneware With Ochre for the dark chocolatey finish. She used a simple dragonscale tool for the pattern on the rim. After bisque firing, she inlaid temoku glaze in the pattern and gently wiped off the top surface – effectively leaving the temoku only in the deeper stamped recesses. She waxed the entire rim and then dipped the plate in an apple green celadon glaze for the center food surface. I love the pattern, and the shiny metallic-ness of the rim. It was so much fun having Diane in class… and watching her pottery adventure “unfold” every week. Nicely done Diane… can’t wait to have you back again next year during your teacher’s summer break!

So even took great glazing notes in her “adorable” handcrafted journal…
I would have expected nothing less!

Categories: classes, creativity, glaze, pottery

One of my students was thrilled to find her pot on the Student Show-Off Shelves.
It was an experiment of glazing with bubbles! Thanks to Dave & Will for introducing this new technique… which has now become “all the rage.”

Congrats Katie!!! Your bowl looks fantastic!

FYI… Full blog post to come… hold your horses…

Categories: classes, pottery

So you might remember that for the last session of my Beginning Wheel class I challenged them to each make a dinnerware placesetting. Many of them pulled through with the challenge… some did not?! However, I must admit that I was a little surprised when Angela brought in her dinnerware set TONIGHT during class!!! She may not have met the deadline, but she persevered and showed up with a beautiful handmade set. Well-crafted with a beautiful glaze combination. Congrats Angela… it”s a beautiful set. Well worth the wait.

Categories: art fair, flowers, pottery, soda-fired

Lots of pots ready to go to a new home. Maybe yours?
Stop by the Evanston Lakeshore Arts Festival. 11:00am-6:00pm today & tomorrow.
We’re in Booth #32 with a beautiful “backyard” view of the Lake!!!

Categories: pottery, soda-fired, stamped, textures

So my “constellation” of textured wall pockets has been hung in the Gallery Annex. I love how it turned out. And in the perfect location right there at the top of the stairs (thank you Brian). Kinda nice being the very first thing you see as you come up to the second floor. Finishing touches are still being added to the show… and the Opening Reception is next week on Friday, July 24th.

Categories: pottery, soda-fired, stamped, textures

Putting it all together… making a plan for how my collection of textured wall pillows will become a complete “constellation” for the upcoming “Variations In Soda Fired Work” Show.

Categories: pottery, soda-fired, stamped, textures

I’ve been pulling together some of my textured wall pillows for an upcoming show in the Gallery Annex at Lillstreet Art Center. Can’t wait to put it all together…

Categories: art fair, bowls, pottery

Need a set of handmade, fluted bowls?!
C’mon out to the Hinsdale Fine Arts Festival this weekend… grab ’em before they’re gone!!!