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

Some more stamped surface decoration for this weekend’s NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR!

Wanna see how I do it…
Well, tomorrow night I will be doing a ZOOM demo live from my studio at 8:00pm! You just need to register for free on the Pottery Tour website to get the ZOOM link. And if you do, you’ll have access to all of the free artist demos… and have a chance to win a free piece by one of the tour host artists!

Check out the list of free demos on the website… www.northernilpotterytour.com

Categories: art fair, glaze, stamped, textures

Some fun stamping & colorful green glazes that pool & puddle in all the right places. Sometimes you just need a pop of color to brighten your day! Well THAT day might just be this Friday at 8:00am… when each of these pieces show up in my new ETSY SHOP as part of the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR.

Categories: art fair, bowls, glaze, stamped, textures

Feeling a little “blue”?… or needing a little “yellow” pick-me up?! Well, these bowls will be available this weekend on my new ETSY SHOP… starting Friday morning at 8:00am! Just a little hint of things to come… get ready for the big NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR this weekend… www.northernilpotterytour.com

Categories: art fair, mugs, pottery, soda-fired, stamped, textures

Celebrating MUGSHOT MONDAY by finally getting these mugs “posted” as a draft on my new ETSY SHOP! Moving on to more pieces to upload to ETSY. The “big debut” of my brand new shop will be at 8:00am Friday 6/18 when the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR goes “live” with lots of great pottery & free demos for everyone!

Check-out www.northernilpotterytour.com for more details.

Categories: art fair, bowls, stamped, textures

A few more bowls… a few more colors, a few more stamps… and who doesn’t LOVE a good spiral?! Always food-safe & dishwasher-safe. Perfect for everyday use… just not guaranteed “gravity-safe”! A few more pieces that will show up in my “brand new” ETSY SHOP during the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR next weekend!

Categories: art fair, pottery, stamped, textures

Just pulling together & photographing a lot of pieces for the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR… and noticing a smidge of textures & stamps here & there?! Go figure… a little visual “teaser” of the pieces that will be available on my new ETSY SHOP starting Friday, June 18th at 8:00am!

Check out the website for more Pottery Tour information & free demo schedule! www.northernilpotterytour.com

Categories: bike, textures

Another beautiful day for another beautiful bike ride. Loved this great old barn & weathered barn wood. Great textures, weathered wood & peeling paint chips!

Sure, we did ninety miles in 90-degree heat through rural farmland… but who doesn’t like to sweat a bit?! We had a great ride… longest one so far this season!!! Now I just need to buy some new bike shoes… cuz’ my feet were NOT happy with the “new” shoes I bought a few months ago!

Categories: art fair, mugs, soda-fired, stamped, textures

Getting ready for tomorrow’s BIG DEBUT of my new “wheelthown-handbuilt-combo” mugs! Cleaning them up, smoothing some bottoms & packing them up for a trip out to Hinsdale this weekend! Stop by the HINSDALE FINE ARTS FAIR in Booth #69 to see me & my new mugs… and a LOT more textured & handmade pottery!!!

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

Just a few of the new “wheelthrown-handbuilt-combo” mugs fresh out of the soda kiln! These are just a few of the orange ones… my favorite color! I’m loving the bright, clear color, the flash of soda-white that highlights the textures & the all-around-the-mug texture pattern! Many of the textured patterns were made with hand rollers from MKM Pottery Tools.

Methinks there’s a very good chance that a few of these might just make their “Big Debut” at the HINSDALE FINE ART SHOW this weekend.

And yes, I’m still looking for a clever name to call these new mugs!
Open to suggestions… please…

Categories: color, food, textures

Chopping up some rhubarb… entranced by the range of colors & textures all from one plant. I love homegrown rhubarb… and I also LOVE a colorful & natural Texture Tuesday!