Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: platters, surface decoration, tools

Oh, what to do when the class demo platter being safely stored under plastic stays under a little longer than you expected… maybe six weeks?…and now it’s too firm to stamp?! Time to pull out my favorite DiamondCore Tools to do a little texture carving! And I’m kinda diggin’ it… gonna need to make more like this!!!

Categories: glaze, platters, stamped, surface decoration, textures

Now THAT’s a lot of stamps!!! Actually, the surface decoration was created with just one of my handmade clay stamps. Pressed into the rim one-by-one, by one, by one, by one… all the way around a couple times! Fresh out of the kiln… again with my new favorite glaze… at least for this week!!! HA!!!

Categories: holiday, mugs, soda-fired, stamped, surface decoration

THE BIG CHRISTMAS MUG REVEAL!!! Not big mugs, just a big reveal!!! Especially made for this weekend’s HOLIDAY HOME SHOW. Limited quantities… so mark off your holiday gift list early tomorrow morning!!!

Categories: glaze, platters, stamped, surface decoration, textures

A new platter with a new glaze! Fresh out of the kiln… and I’m LOVING this glaze as it seems to highlight all of the stamped textures & grooved areas so sweetly. Mental note to self… must make more like this!!!

Categories: glaze, platters, surface decoration

A fun new textured platter with a swirling textured surface. Love how the chattered-slip pattern works so well with the “watery” feeling of the new glaze… pooling & puddling in all the right places!

Categories: patterns, stamped, surface decoration, textures, tools

Time to get my groove on… starting with another groovy & crisp pattern from an MKM Pottery Tools handroller. Starting with a textured slab… with a plan in mind for a new oval vase project! Coming soon… deadlines are approaching!!!

Categories: production, surface decoration, textures

Bringing out my favorite carving tools from DiamondCore Tools for some fun Christmas tree texturing! Nice crisp cuts with sharp tools… perfect for the glaze to pool & puddle in all the right places!!!

Categories: platters, stamped, stamps, surface decoration

After “warming up” with stamping a dinner plate, it was time to tackle a larger platter. A blank canvas… then a couple stamps using my own handmade stamp. Sure I coulda stopped after on ring around the perimeter… but what fun would that be???

Categories: platters, stamped, surface decoration

Started with a little stamping in the studio tonight. Just adding a little “fun” to a dinner plate demo from class this week! And you know how I love a good spiral.

Categories: bowls, stamped, stamps, surface decoration

Just doing a little stamping tonight on a couple demo bowls from last night’s pottery class. We discussed making “larger” bowls… and then we did!!! Sure, I could select them plain… HA!!!