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

An early start with a lot of wedged potential.

Categories: clay, process

Step-by-step… processing my reclaimed clay this afternoon! It has set out in a plaster bat for awhile and is finally a good “clay” consistency. I like to layer it with some fresh new B-clay. Thin layers of each, sliced in half, stacked, squished, repeat. It incorporates both clays quickly with just a bit of wedging at the end. When it comes to using this reclaimed clay, it will all get a full wedging then!

Categories: holiday, kiln firing, process, production

Well look at me… ahead of schedule?!
It’s only Wednesday and my last kiln is already glazed & loaded…
and I don’t even need these trees until Saturday
for my SECOND HOLIDAY HOME SHOW! Crazy, right!

Replenishing my Christmas Trees with a bunch of new ones with holes & no bottoms… so you can light ‘em up with tea lights, votive candles or LED lights. Just in time to make the season more festive!!!

Categories: clay, process

Time to turn out another huge batch of reclaimed clay in my studio. It’s been a busy season making lots of pots for the holidays… which means lots of trimming… which means lots of RECLAIM!!!

Categories: mugs, process, production

Doing some glaze inlay into the stamped impressions. Keeping the slip colors intact, but surrounding them with a dark glaze that will hopefully make the holiday stamps really POP out?!

Categories: process, production, stamped, textures, tools, vases

New oval vases with double handles drying in the studio. Each with a textured panel on both sides between the handles… thanks to some textured handrollers from MKM Pottery Tools. Loving the contrast of the smooth rounded ends & handles juxtaposed with the textured panels. Even better… the double handles will help hold your flowers up for a low-profile floral arrangement!

Categories: process, production

Time to get some color in the forest! Trees are waxed and it’s time to start glazing! Got a lot to do in the next few days… as everything is quickly “rushing” towards my HOLIDAY HOME SHOW on November 23rd & 24th!!!

Categories: mugs, process, production

Handles are finally attached… and my new holiday mugs are really coming together! The theme stamps worked well. Now I just need to add some colored slips… and then RUSH to get them all done in time for my HOLIDAY HOME SHOW on November 23rd & 24th! Giddy-up!

Categories: mugs, process, production

Pulled handles setting-up & stiffening-up just a bit. I want them to be firm enough to handle, not squishy, but still wet enough to alter the curves. By pulling them and looping them over in this way, I establish about 85% of the curve before even attaching! Makes it a lot easier later…

Categories: process, tools

It’s a BIG day for trimming in the studio today. Have I mentioned lately that I LOVE trimming?… especially with great trimming tools from DiamondCore Tools & my Giffin Grip! The perfect trimming combo!!!