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

Momma Molloy sharing some of her mug collection to help celebrate MUGSHOT MONDAY! I love seeing my pottery being used in people’s homes… making their morning a bit more special.

Categories: art fair, bowls, friends, platters, stamped

This summer I reunited with a couple of my best friends from High School! They surprised me by showing up at ART IN THE GARDEN in August… completely unexpected! I haven’t seen them for YEARS!!! It was such a sweet surprise to see Anna & Jenn and their families right there in my art fair booth… SURPRISE!!! Especially their adorable Mom who has know me since our High School days!

So it’s extra special to see Mom’s display of my pottery pieces on her table (along with a Cory McCrory plate!)… but it’s the baby photos of Anna & Jenn that kill me!!! Could that BE any cuter… let’s just say they’re both several decades older now… but still just as cute!!!

Categories: inspiration, pottery, soda-fired, special events, stamped

A touching epilogue from Melissa
who won the Silent Auction yesterday…

“I’m so glad you’re happy and that your auction was a success! My mom passed away three years ago and I’ve been looking for the perfect place to memorialize her for myself and for my two sisters. Your work showed up in my Instagram feed under the hashtag “cardinal” and here we are. Right place, right time.”

Amazing what a simple hashtag can do. Obviously things were meant to work out the way they did yesterday. Such a fitting tribute – a full circle moment for this entire “Cardinal Commission” project. It has been quite fulfilling & touching at so many moments along the way. Thank you to everyone who has been along on this journey with me.

Categories: art fair, bowls, holiday, platters, pottery, stamped

‘Tis the season for red & green… as we head into Day Two of my limited-access & socially-distant HOLIDAY HOME SHOW! Wear your mask and buy some pottery for everyone on your holiday shopping list… and maybe a thing or two for yourself as well?! You deserve it… it’s been a rough year!

Categories: pottery, soda-fired, stamped

A very huge & sincere THANK YOU to everyone who played along with my Silent Auction on my Fire When Ready Pottery Facebook page today. Whether you placed a bid, shared the story, reacted to the post or just loved a cardinal… I was blown away by you all. What started as a personal commission project has now expanded into an even larger story of support & encouragement. I am ever so thankful for my fans, followers & supporters especially during this holiday season… and even more this CRAZY YEAR!!!

This was my very first Silent Auction here on Facebook. I wasn’t even sure it would work… I thought someone might get this piece “real cheap”!!! But then I was shocked when bids started pouring in. People playing along. People bidding. People encouraging others. This was a overall success! Thank You all.

And a very special THANK YOU and congratulations to Melissa for her very generous Top Bid! Looks like this cardinal will be taking flight to her place very soon!

Thanks again!

Categories: animals, pottery, soda-fired, stamped

Tomorrow morning at 8:00am CST, I will be kicking-off the final day of my TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS POTTERY SALE with a very special surprise! For the very first time, I will be holding an AUCTION on my Fire When Ready Pottery Facebook page!!! One single item, going to the highest bidder!

Yes, this large cardinal lidded jar will be my final “partridge”! It’s stamped & soda-fired with a handbuilt cardinal & twig as the handle! Approximately 11.5″ tall with a tenmoku liner glaze.

Click here for my Fire When Ready Pottery Facebook page!
Click FOLLOW… and then be sure to check-out the auction throughout the day! Be the top bidder at the end of the auction and you WIN!!!

Categories: soda-fired, stamped, textures, vases

Don’t forget that today is Day Eleven of my TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS POTTERY SALE… featuring square vases! You still have time to do a little shopping for these fun, two-sided vase with a different “picture” on each side. Click here for the “official” Facebook Photo Album to shop from!

Categories: animals, art fair, soda-fired, special events, stamped

So we’re currently eleven days into my TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS POTTERY SALE… and here’s a little “teaser” of the special event headed your way tomorrow to celebrate Day Twelve!!! And no, that’s NOT a partridge in a pear tree… but close…

Categories: handbuilding, patterns, soda-fired, stamped, vases

We’re kicking off DAY ELEVEN of my TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS POTTERY SALE featuring twelve soda-fired & two-sided square vases. With a different texture “picture” on each side of the vase… it’s like getting two-in-one. Get tired of one side, just turn it around!

Just scroll through the “official” Photo Album on my Fire When Ready Pottery Facebook page and if you see a square vase you want, be the first person to put a Comment of “MINE” in the Comments section of that one! I will then follow-up with a confirmation & a Facebook Message with further details. It’s that easy!!!

Click HERE to go to my Fire When Ready Pottery Facebook page.

So start shopping… be the first to claim your square vase… and then come back each day for a different pottery selection. Each of the twelve days will feature a different “category” with twelve new pieces up for sale first-come, first-serve only on my Facebook page… with a very SPECIAL event TOMORROW to celebrate Day Twelve!!!

At the end of each of the “12 days”… any unclaimed pottery will be added to My Online Pottery Store on my website … so you can still shop anytime, even if it’s on the “wrong day” of this pottery sale!!!

LARGE SQUARE VASES – 6.75″ x 6.75″ x 1.75″

MEDIUM SQUARE VASES – 5.25″ x 5.25″ x 1.75″

SMALL SQUARE VASES – 3.75″ x 3.75″ x 1.75″

Categories: food, pottery, stamped

Looks like another sweet homemade fruit pie baked in a handmade ceramic pie dish! Not sure which one is prettier… but can admit that the pie was indeed YUMMIER!!! Thanks for the sweet treat Rosene!