Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: humor, process, production, textures

This might be the best & funniest Facebook comment I’ve ever gotten?! I don’t think that I’ve been compared to “AI” before?… but I’m kinda flattered in a weird way!!!

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!

Categories: hybrid mugs, process, production

Hybrid mugs moving along! Trimmed the bottoms today on the wheel. You know how much I LOVE trimming & a good footring!!! Gives everything a sense of style & refinement.

Categories: hybrid mugs, mugs, process, production, textures

It’s been a productive afternoon assembling these “hybrid” mugs… wheelthrown & handbuilt combos. There’s still a good amount of work to do on them… refining, trimming, adding handles, drying, firing, etc. But this feels like a good start. It’s always great seeing these “hybrid” mugs come together!

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

It’s been fun using some of my new handrollers today from MKM Pottery Tools. I’m generally a more “geometric” kinda guy when it comes to patterns & textures. But I will say I’m pretty excited about some of these new rollers that a more “illustrative” pattern on them. We’ll see how it goes with more rollers for more patterns!!!

Categories: process, textures, tools

Here we go again… making some textured slabs with my new MKM Pottery Tools handrollers. Fun patterns with crisp clean edges… coming soon to a new batch of “hybrid” mugs! This is the handbuilding part… soon to be added to the wheelthrown part! Thus… “HYBRID” mugs!!!

Categories: classes, process, surface decoration, textures

Last night in my SURFACE DECORATION class, we played with some different slip colors mixed with a sodium silicate solution to help us create these wonderful crackled surfaces on our wheelthrown pots!!! Exciting as every one is different every time!!!

Categories: process, production, stamped

Time for some stamping… giving the spoon rests some decorative edges.
Gotta make those sloppy spoons look good while you’re cooking, right?!