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

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.
Hope you surround yourself with family, friends, food & everything that makes you smile.
Be thankful. Be grateful. Be happy.

Categories: glaze, platters, stamped, surface decoration, textures

Now THAT’s a lot of stamps!!! Actually, the surface decoration was created with just one of my handmade clay stamps. Pressed into the rim one-by-one, by one, by one, by one… all the way around a couple times! Fresh out of the kiln… again with my new favorite glaze… at least for this week!!! HA!!!

Categories: holiday, mugs, soda-fired, stamped

Just showing off more of my new Christmas Mugs!!! Two styles… green trees & red ornaments! Kinda make a perfect holiday pairing! Handmade mugs with my own handmade clay stamps, colored slips & a soda-fired finish. All of these mugs will be making their first appearance this weekend at my HOLIDAY HOME SHOW. There’s a limited quantities… so they might go fast!!!

Categories: holiday, mugs, soda-fired, stamped, surface decoration

THE BIG CHRISTMAS MUG REVEAL!!! Not big mugs, just a big reveal!!! Especially made for this weekend’s HOLIDAY HOME SHOW. Limited quantities… so mark off your holiday gift list early tomorrow morning!!!

Categories: glaze, platters, stamped, surface decoration, textures

A new platter with a new glaze! Fresh out of the kiln… and I’m LOVING this glaze as it seems to highlight all of the stamped textures & grooved areas so sweetly. Mental note to self… must make more like this!!!

Categories: flowers, soda-fired, stamped, vases

A new oval basket with textured panels & double handles that help hold the flowers where you want them! Ready to make their “big debut” this weekend at my HOLIDAY HOME SHOW… with a limited quantity, so come early!!!

Categories: soda-fired, stamped, textures, vases

Just in time for my HOLIDAY HOME SHOW this weekend!!! My new double-handled oval vases came out great! I’m very excited by how the soda-firing hit them in all the right places. Making the colors pop, accentuating the textures & patterns… and best, none of that shiny gray “dolphin-skin” finish that soda-firing sometimes creates!

Categories: glaze, mugs, stamped

Some fun new stamped & glaze colored mugs for this weekend’s HOLIDAY HOME SHOW! Still looking for some new “names” to call each glaze color?! I think I’ve settled on “aubergine” for the purple one. I’ve jokingly been saying if we call it “purple” it’s one price, but if we call it “aubergine’ with a pompous verbal flair then it costs twice as much!!!

Color name suggestions anyone???

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: patterns, stamped, surface decoration, textures, tools

Time to get my groove on… starting with another groovy & crisp pattern from an MKM Pottery Tools handroller. Starting with a textured slab… with a plan in mind for a new oval vase project! Coming soon… deadlines are approaching!!!