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

You know how much I LOVE a good National Holiday! Especially when it’s one of my favorites. Today is NATIONAL OREO DAY! Too hard to choose one… so I had to “celebrate “ with three flavors!!! Aww, shucks!

Categories: mugs, soda-fired, stamped, textures

Fresh from the soda kiln in time for another MUGSHOT MONDAY!
These hybrid mugs got some great colors & flashing marks. Most of these hybrid mugs are slated for a special commission, with the rest going to “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS” this coming weekend.

If you can’t make it to the 4×4 show… I’m sure I’ll be making a few more batches of my hybrid mugs for upcoming shows & art fairs!!!

Categories: food, holiday, pottery, stamped

Just got home from teaching class… and it’s never too late to celebrate! As today is also NATIONAL CHERRY PIE DAY!!! And I’m ready to have a slice of the fun!!! 🍒

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

Just a little afternoon snack celebrating NATIONAL MUFFIN DAY.
You know how I love a good holiday!!!

Categories: bowls, stamped, surface decoration

Just some closer looks at the detailing that happened up in my studio after this week’s class demo. I figured if I was showing off how to make a “not-so-basic-bowl”… why not go all the way?! MORE IS MORE, right?!

Categories: bowls, classes, stamped, surface decoration

After some time under the plastic, these class demo bowls were brought out in my studio for a little more detailing. A little stamping here, a little rim indenting there. Here they are side-by-side in my studio! Just a few super bowls for “Super Bowl Sunday.”

Before…

After…

Categories: challenge, classes, patterns, stamped, textures, tools

A lot of texture rolling & pattern pressing happened in class last Thursday night for the LILLSTREET THROWDOWN. I gave them a task… and my MKM Pottery Tools hand rollers for the night! Some students had never really handbuilt before… but they were all eager to start rolling!!! Such great patterns… thank you MKM!!!

Categories: mugs, production, stamped

Time to wrap them for the night so they can dry a little slower. Letting moisture-levels balance out overnight so I can add some accents of colored flashing slips tomorrow! Another batch of mugs for another MUGSHOT MONDAY… and now off to teach class !!!

Categories: food, platters, soda-fired, stamped

Celebrating NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CAKE DAY… with an ooey-gooey chocolate, marshmallow fluff & fudge cake! My traditional birthday cake… but I made it this time to celebrate my Cousin Kim’s big birthday… a week early… SURPRISE!!!

Categories: mugs, process, production, stamped

Just adding some finishing touches on this latest batch of mugs… a few accents of colored flashing slip! If all goes as planned, these slip accents will change colors & get some cool flashing effects in the soda kiln. So for now they can start drying, then off to a bisque firing.