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

Beautiful soda kiln bricks after a LOT of firings. The build-up is amazing… although not so good for the longevity of a kiln. Luckily, the soda kiln at Lillstreet is scheduled to be rebuilt at the end of the year.

Categories: kiln firing, soda-fired

Here we go again… seems like I just loaded this kiln a couple weeks ago?!

Categories: flowers, soda-fired, stamped, vases

Like a kiss from a rose… in a stamped & soda-fired vase! Pretty little orange garden roses in an oval vase… with a strappy little handle that helps keep the flowers where you want them! I’ll be bringing a few of these oval vases to ART IN THE BARN next weekend.

Categories: animals, art fair, hybrid mugs, mugs, soda-fired

Plus, it looks like I may have had an overnight critter visiting my booth… ever-so-gently “admiring” some of my hybrid mugs. Luckily they were on the top shelf… so no harm, no foul.

Categories: kiln firing, soda-fired

Removing the front door of the kiln is always exciting… as it reveals the fired work for the first time layer-by-layer, brick-by-brick. Fingers crossed that everything turned out well. Excited to see that there are some good colors, good clay surfaces & not too much of that “blasted dolphin-skin grayness” that happens in a lot of soda kilns! Looking good so far… and usually gets even better as you dig in further while unloading!

Categories: flowers, soda-fired, stamped, vases

Pretty pink sweet peas posing in pottery per my Peoria pals! Yes please!

And thanks for sharing Gerry & Rosene… pink petal perfection!

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

Celebrating another Mugshot Monday with a splash of color! As someone who does not drink coffee or tea, I don’t use many mugs. Ironically, the mug is my all-time favorite thing to make… and I make a LOT of them! So for those non-caffeine drinkers… mugs make great vases too!

Categories: flowers, soda-fired, stamped, vases

After a trip to the Andersonville Farmer’s Market on Wednesday, this collection of beautiful dahlias is now looking quite comfortable in one of my stamped & soda-fired oval vases. Beautiful blooms from Vangie’s Farm… including crazy cool & crazy huge curly burgundy dahlia! Perfect for a beautiful Floral Friday!

Categories: art fair, flowers, soda-fired, stamped, vases

Celebrating another Floral Friday… with my Glenview art fair booth flowers from last weekend that are still holding up really well. And looking great in an oval vase that “spreads them out” a bit more so you can see more flowers!!!

Categories: bowls, food, holiday, soda-fired, stamped

After a full day of Summer Camp… followed by an evening in my studio… I felt that I “deserved” to celebrate NATIONAL HOT FUDGE SUNDAE DAY when I got home!!! … burp.