Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
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: ornaments, textures

A treasure trove of textures. A bowl full of found rocks, agates & a few of my wheelthrown ornaments… a perfect collection for another Texture Tuesday. Thanks for sharing your collection Jody!

Categories: surface decoration, textures

A little swirly fun with thick white slip on a large platter.
Just some rhythmic tapping with a rubber rub through the slip while the platter is still spinning.

Categories: hybrid mugs, soda-fired, stamped, textures

Plus the latest batch of “hybrid mugs” fresh from last weekend’s soda kiln firing. A combo of wheelthrown & handbuilt techniques… with amazing textures created with my favorite MKM Pottery Tools! All ready for ART IN THE BARN this weekend!

Categories: process, production, textures

Painting some colored flashing slip on a few last-minute pieces for my upcoming soda kiln! If all goes well, the slip will turn orange & the textures will all be accentuated by the soda-firing atmosphere! Fingers crossed.

Categories: kiln firing, textures

After hundreds of firings, the soda kiln at Lillstreet is showing some wear & tear… and will be replaced at some point. But until then, I do LOVE all of the crusty colors & patinas that have taken over the bricks. Such great textures to appreciate… purely from the build-up from the soda-firing atmospheric firings! Very cool.

Categories: glaze, mugs, textures, tools

Doing some glazing tonight for my soda kiln firing this weekend. Like these “hybrid mugs” that have been dipped in a flashing slip & now have a layer of tenmoku glaze rubbed in to highlight the textures. You know how I love making mugs… and I love these textures made with MKM Pottery Tools. The perfect combination!

Categories: textures, tools

One of my former students went up to Waukesha, Wisconsin this weekend for the FIRED ARTS EXPO. A bunch of pottery, tools & fun for we mud-lovers… wish I would have remembered about it?! Shoot. Anyway, it was fun to see that Ellen stopped by the MKM POTTERY TOOLS booth to buy some new texture tools… and apparently the discussion turned to ME!!! When worlds collide… former students & pottery loving tool-makers! So glad Ellen got some cool tools… and an MKM postcard featuring ME!!!

Categories: process, summer camp, surface decoration, textures, tools

After a quick summer camp demo, Colette took on a fun carving texture challenge… using one of my favorite DiamondCore Tools! Even the older kids appreciate using nicer tools for finer line carvings. And Colette rocked it!!!