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

Such a cute little succulent garden… it never really crossed my mind to turn one of my small oval pieces into a flower pot for succulents. But now that’s all I want to do… make some of these for myself!!! Thanks for sharing my green-thumbed fans!

Categories: family, food, pottery, soda-fired, stamped

When the fruit trees start making fruit, you’ve got to grab them when you can before the birds get ’em… and hopefully there’s plenty to make PIE!!! My cousin Kim grabbed a full bounty of cherries from her yard and made this beautiful cherry pie! It looks AMAZING… and I’m sure it tasted even better!!! Thanks for sharing your photos Kimberley Sue… but next time, let’s share the pie too!!!

Categories: food, soda-fired, stamped

Sweet little jar sitting in the kitchen. Love the combination of cinnamon sticks & cutlery! Nice combo… thanks for sharing your photos! Keep sending them in. I love seeing my pottery actually being used in people’s homes!!!

Categories: kiln firing, soda-fired, stamped

Just a few more quick pics from my soda kiln! These pieces were the ones facing the front door… where they get blasted with a bit more soda than the rest of the kiln. Loving some of the colored flashing slip effects & the textured orange-peel surfaces!

Categories: process, production, stamped, tools, vases

Okay, so I just “had to” crank out a last-minute batch of mini bud vases! If I’ve planned correctly, these little cutie patooties will “just barely” make it into this weekend’s soda kiln!!! And yes, smaller pots do get smaller stamps… and I do still trim everything! Even if they’re teeny-tiny!

Gotta LOVE a good spinnin’ Giffin Grip!!!

Categories: mugs, soda-fired, stamped

Squeezing in a last-minute MUGSHOT MONDAY!!!
Only a few minutes left or else it would already be Tuesday!!!
Just another stamped & soda-fired stoneware mug…
nothing too flashy, just kinda earthy & warm.

Also, currently available in my online pottery shop…
along with more mugs, bowls, vases, pitchers, berry bowls and so much more!! Click here to check out my online store… or you can always click on the tab up in the top right corner for Online Pottery Shopping.

Categories: mugs, process, production, stamped

Another batch of mugs just in time…
hoping to get them through all the steps of the process in time
to get them into my next schedule soda kiln.

So tonight I did a bit of stamping… here are the before & after shots…

Mug #1 —

Mug #2 —

Mug #3 —

Mug #4 —

Mug #5 —

Mug #6 —

Mug #7 —

Mug #8 —

Mug #9 —

Mug #10 —

Mug #11 —

Mug #12 —

So for now they’re all stamped and back under plastic for the night. My plan is to trim them all tomorrow night… and then add handles… and then paint some colored flashing slips on them… dry… bisque… glaze… wad… all before my soda kiln deadline!!!

Categories: process, production, stamped

Just painting some details on the flower pots with some accents of colored flashing slips. They may look white & beige now… but hopefully after the soda-firing they will “magically” change to bright oranges & yellows with some cool randomness due to the soda-firing atmosphere!

Categories: process, production, stamped, stamps

Adding a few stamps, textures & patterns to my latest batch of flower pots. Handmade stamps for handmade pots… pressed in one, by one, by one…

Categories: flowers, garden, soda-fired, stamped, vases

Enjoying late afternoon flowers on the back porch. Vibrant & fragrant bee balm flowers & furry smoke bush clippings in a soda-fired ikebana vase… and a mini hosta in a handmade flower pot!