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

With the crazy Canadian wildfire smoke casting a weird “colored”-grayness over the City today… I figured it might help to shake it up with a “pop” of fun floral colors! A collection roses & mums in one of my stamped & soda-fired square vases!

Doesn’t hurt any to have some fun rusty metal right there too…

Categories: hybrid mugs, mugs, soda-fired

Still prepping for this weekend’s GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR. Enjoying some time in the cool basement… avoiding the heatwave & wildfire smoke!!! Pricing & packing a bunch of hybrid mugs to bring with… and trying to pull-together all of my booth needs as they are a little “scattered.” Remember, my last art fair was when we got rained on & had to pack quickly and then spread things all around to dry out. Hoping the weather is a bit better this weekend???

Categories: flowers, hybrid mugs, mugs, soda-fired

Celebrating another MUGSHOT MONDAY with a vibrant collection of magenta roses in a soda-fired hybrid mug. Yes, that’s right… not every mug needs to be used for coffee or tea! Sometimes a big mug can also become a great vase just for the fun of it!!!

Categories: hybrid mugs, mugs, soda-fired

Celebrating another Mugshot Monday with a bunch of my “hybrid mugs” fresh out of my soda kiln. Still loving the colors & flashing effects… and the texture patterns made with great handrollers from MKM Pottery Tools!

Categories: hybrid mugs, mugs, soda-fired

Fresh out of the soda kiln… more “hybrid mugs” for upcoming art fairs!!!

Categories: mugs, soda-fired, stamped

Just a few of the mugs that came out of my latest soda firing. Still enamored by the stamped textures, the flashing soda effects & the saturated colors! Not just “gray & brown” like a lot of other soda firings!

Categories: kiln firing, soda-fired

In between Summer Camp all day & teaching adults at night… I finally found time to unload my soda kiln, pack it all up, clean the kiln, scrape the shelves, kiln was the shelves, clean the kiln room & a bunch of other “glamorous “ tasks! So I can finally share some photos of the soda-fired pots inside… including a bright blue I’m pretty excited about!!!

Categories: kiln firing, soda-fired

A quick sneaky-peek into the soda kiln before summer camp.
It’s still a bit warm, so I’ll be unloading it later today after my campers go home!!! Can’t wait…

Categories: kiln firing, soda-fired

An empty kiln… yet full of possibilities! Ready to start loading the soda kiln…

Categories: glaze, process, production, soda-fired

Glazing & wadding finally done… masking tape “seat belts” in place for the ride down the rickety freight elevator. One step closer to loading… one step closer to closing the kiln door… one step closer to bed!!!