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

With a rainy start to the day, I ended up adding some colored flashing slip details in the studio early this morning before heading down to summer camp!!!

Categories: mugs, process, production, stamped

Today I stamped the cylinders that are going to become my “matching” mugs for class. I decided to turn them into two different sets… with two different “sets” of thrown cylinders that were closer to matching than the others. And then I stamped each “set” with a different stamp. Hoping that as I trim them & add handles, they will continue to get even more matchy-matchy!!!

Categories: production, wheelthrowing

Another early morning being productive in the studio… making more than 10 before 10:00am!!! Now I just have a lot of “detailing” to make them come to life!!!

Categories: process, production, stamped

I had a very productive afternoon in the studio after summer camping all morning! Did a bit of stamping & detailing with some colored flashing slips. Getting ready for two upcoming soda kiln firings!!! Gotta make more… gotta make more…

Categories: process, production, stamped, vases

Hanging out in the studio tonight painting colored flashing slip accents on a bunch of mini’s… and watching the Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Paris! The pomp & circumstance… the performances… the theatricality of it all… oh, and the athletes too.

The Opening Ceremonies are always my favorite part of The Olympics…
what are you looking forward to most???

Categories: mugs, process, production, stamped

Another batch of mugs assembled with fresh handles!!!

Categories: mugs, process, production

Nothing like working at the GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR all day today… and then spending the night in the studio pulling handles & making more mugs!!! And then back to the art fair again tomorrow! No rest for the weary.

Categories: clay, porcelain, process, production, studio

After playing outside most of the day, I felt a little “uninspired” in the studio tonight. So I decided it was the perfect chance to start reclaiming a bunch of dried porcelain scraps. So I spent the night banging, pounding & pulverizing… then submerging in my reclaim bin to slake down. Feels good to get this task done, as I brought all of this dried clay home from Minnesota back in May… thanks to a potter-friend up there who doesn’t reclaim her own clay & knows that I am more than willing to put in the extra work for some FREE CLAY!!!

Categories: production, stamped, stamps, textures, tiles

A little cloudy this morning, so I went into the studio for another 10×10 challenge… and I tackled a batch of rectangle tiles that I’ve been formulating a “plan” for! Some of the tiles were made with my MKM Pottery Tools … while others were made with my own handmade clay stamps.

Categories: process, production, tools

The perfect pottery production combo… two of my favorite studio tools in action together! Sharp trimming tools from DiamondCore Tools working along side the Giffin Grip. Smooth ribbons of clay coming right off while anchored down on the wheel & easily centered!