
Here we go… making mugs again! My favorite thing to make!!! And today I’ve got a lot of handles to attach… because without a handle it’s NOT a mug!!! So I’m starting with some nuggets of clay… getting ready to pull my handles.

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

Here we go… making mugs again! My favorite thing to make!!! And today I’ve got a lot of handles to attach… because without a handle it’s NOT a mug!!! So I’m starting with some nuggets of clay… getting ready to pull my handles.

Getting ready for an evening of trimming… one of my favorite parts of the process. There’s something soothing & meditative when you’re “refining” the bottoms of your pots. Especially when you have good tools to make your job easier. Still loving my collection of trimming tools from DiamondCore Tools… always sharp for crisp clean footrings!




Getting ready for a big trimming session… lots of mugs to be trimmed tonight! And thankful for my Giffin Grip every time I pull it out… it’s been well-used & well-loved. One of my favorite tools in the studio… makes trimming so much faster & more fun too!!!

Throwing small, throwing quick. Another quick batch of spoon rests. Might just get some stamping soon… allegedly…

Spent some time in the studio tonight stamping patterns into my latest batch of mugs!






Revisiting an old favorite… and making a batch of oval casseroles! Tomorrow’s project is to make the lids & add handles!!! Yep, little baking dishes coming soon!!!

Putting together a little “surprise” for my GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN students… they might just recognize a few of these stamps… since THEY made them!!! Shhh… don’t tell anyone!



So while the soda kiln is cooling all day today, there are PLENTY of “other projects” going on to fill my day today! I can’t believe that our “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS” pop-up show is now just a few days away! And I still have SO much to do…

So I’ve been glazing the latest batch of “hybrid mugs” in preparation for this weekends Soda-Firing Workshop. A simple liner glaze of tenmoku… and then I had to decide which ones to leave raw outside, and which ones need a bit more lovin’ & a bit more colored glaze accents before soda-firing.

Looks like my talented friend & master metalsmith Sarah Chapman is still working on her collaboration pieces for our “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS” gallery show next weekend in Evanston. I can’t wait to see Sarah’s, Darlys’s & Robin’s pieces when they all come together. Fingers crossed… I’m still working on mine too!!!

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Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
Lillstreet Studios ∙ 4401 North Ravenswood, Chicago, Illinois 60640 ∙ 773-307-8664 gary@firewhenreadypottery.com |