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

One last reminder! Hope to see some of you this weekend in Hinsdale!!! Even if it rains… as pottery looks even better when it’s wet!!! HA!!!

Categories: flowers, soda-fired, stamped, vases

Just enjoying a little FLORAL FRIDAY with a fun arrangement in a stamped & soda-fired oval vase. I do get a lot of questions at art fairs as to what you can use an “oval” vase for?! My answer is “pretty much anything!” But I do enjoy how an oval vase makes the flowers spread out a bit more from side-to-side so you can see them better… instead of all squished together as some taller round vases do!

Categories: soda-fired, stamped, vases

Fresh from the soda kiln… just in time for this weekend’s HINSDALE FINE ARTS FAIR. Sweet little oval vases for flowers, pens on your desk, utensils in your kitchen or even to hold your remote controls!!! So many uses… but a limited quantity, so come early!

Categories: flower pots, glaze, stamped

Just a little early morning glazing to start the day! These flower pots won’t quite be done in time for Hinsdale this weekend… but will definitely be ready for the Northern Illinois Pottery Tour on June 8th & 9th.

Categories: flowers, soda-fired, stamped, vases

A single yellow rose sitting beautifully on a stamped & soda-fired ikebana vase.

Categories: art fair, platters, stamped

Mark your calendars for this weekend in Hinsdale… another weekend, another art fair! We’re in a beautiful park this time with plenty of trees, flowers & a fountain in the middle! I’m in the same spot as usual, so swing by and say “Hi.”

Categories: mugs, soda-fired, stamped

Celebrating another MUGSHOT MONDAY with a bunch of new stamped & soda-fired mugs! There’s a whole new batch to prep, price & pack for next weekend at the HINSDALE FINE ART FAIR.

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

While the Schaumburg Prairie Arts Festival was washed out today, at least my booth flowers still look good! And as things would have it, about an hour after I got home, the rain stopped & the sun came out with blue skies & fluffy white clouds!!!

Categories: art fair, mugs, soda-fired, stamped

Prepping, pricing & packing a new selection of stamped & soda-fired mugs in the basement. Fresh mugs for this weekend’s art fair in Hinsdale… hope to see you there!

Categories: classes, glaze, stamped

Last week with my SURFACE DECORATION class, we discussed a lot of glazing techniques & tried to rectify some bad habits. Then I challenged them to “play” a bit more with their glazing… and to try some new techniques on the stamped cylinders I provided for them. I was hoping that they would be more free with their glazing if it wasn’t on one of their own “precious” pots. They all took good step-by-step notes… so now we’re just anxiously waiting for them to get fired in the cone 10 glaze kiln. Fingers crossed for some fun glaze results!!!