Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: bowls, classes, stamped, stamps, surface decoration, textures

This week in my SURFACE DECORATION class, we tackled stamping & sprigging. I showed them the basics of how I approach a pot, how try emphasize the shape & geometry of the pot with my stamps… and the most important part… how to stamp! Sure, not rocket-science, but there are a few tricks!!! I did my demos and then set them loose… with their own stamps they had made the week before, as well as some of my collection. Many of them had made their “homework” pieces to work on, but I was glad I had a made a bunch too so they had more to “play” with! I tried to emphasize how stamping can become addictive… and they heard the mantra more than once…

MORE IS MORE!!!

Categories: classes, stamps, surface decoration

After crackling slip, we spent the last half hour of our SURFACE DECORATION class making clay stamps. My goal is to have them bisqued quickly so we can start playing with them in next week’s class… where the focus will be “stamps & sprigs”!!!

Categories: bowls, stamped, stamps

Moving along nicely on my latest batch of berry bowls. Stamping a ring of texture around each of them using my own handmade stamps! Now to dry to leatherhard before I can trim the footring and punch some drainage holes!!!

Categories: mugs, process, production, stamped, stamps

Been busy stamping cylinders again… getting ready for another batch of mugs! My favorite thing to make! Each one stamped with a different clay stamp that I made myself. Handmade mugs need handmade stamps!!!

Categories: platters, process, stamped, stamps, textures

A cold & rainy Sunday perfect for some repetitive stamping. Decorating another platter with one handmade stamp pressed in one by one… by one… by one…

Categories: stamps, textures, tools

Can’t believe my collection of MKM Pottery Tools handrollers has just DOUBLED!!! Great patterns & textures made with perfectly crafted wooden handrollers. Can’t wait to start playing with them… time to get them dirty!!! Just in time for another Texture Tuesday!!!

Categories: platters, stamped, stamps

Just a little “quick stamping” in my studio before heading downstairs to teach again tonight!!!

Categories: mugs, stamped, stamps

With just about a month until St. Patrick’s Day…
gotta get stamping if we’re going to have mugs in time!!!

Categories: classes, stamps

Back by popular demand… tonight in my Intermediate Wheel class, we did a stamp-making demo again! And made some fun stamps along the way. Now they just need to dry & be bisqued before we can start to use them!

Categories: process, production, stamped, stamps

Just another night of stamping tonight on this batch of mug cylinders using my own handmade clay stamps. Hoping tomorrow I can trim & get handles attached to all of them!