Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery

Winter Session: Done… Spring Session: Full

Gary — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:10:37 +0000

Well, tonight was the final night of the 10-week Winter Session of my Tuesday night
Beginning & Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing Class at Lillstreet Art Center.
We all had a wonderful time making pots and sharing our clay experiences.
Everyone had a great time, lots of demos, lots of laughs, and a LOT of great pots!
Tonight we capped it off with a potluck dinner, informal critique & discussion…
and the ever-popular “bowl exchange.” Where everyone contributes one bowl (or mug?)
that they’ve made, and then we do a secret, White Elephant sort of random drawing & trading
game to exchange bowls (or mugs?) so everyone goes home with someone else’s treasure!

And oh, but wait there’s more…
I also found out tonight that my class for the Spring Session if already full.
More than two weeks before the session is scheduled to start may be an actual record?!
Sorry if you were planning in signing up, but waited too long. I tried to warn you
that the class fills up fast. I know at least a handful of this session’s students are returning,
but the rest are going to be newbies joining in on the fun! Sorry if you didn’t make the cut.
I think there’s a waiting list, but no guarantee that you’ll get in. Check it out at Lillstreet!!!

What A Thousand Staples Looks Like

Gary — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:44:15 +0000

Just when you thought every artistic medium had been explored, images like these
come along. Artist Baptiste Debombourg created this portrait with staples. I’ve always
loved how a “few” of something can be cool, but a “LOT” of something is amazing!!!
Less is more?… not in MY book.

And what if the staples weren’t used as they were intended?!
Have you ever noticed how sculptural a line of staples looks? Peter Root has.
Here’s his creation called “low-rise.” Built on a glass table-top, it’s especially amazing
when photographed from the side with a great depth-of-field exposure!

Another Milestone

Gary — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:00:27 +0000

Three hundreds posts – and still going strong!!!
Now if I could just manage to get those abs too…

Off To A Good Start

Gary — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 03:38:01 +0000

Today was sunny, and a little bit warmer… and my biking season is off to a good start!
This afternoon I crossed the 100-mile mark… remember, there’s a decimal in there!
Very exciting… the mileage is already racking up and it’s just early March!
And the “glacier” has finally melted away from the bike path… with the last stretch
being a little sketchy section at the S-curve by Oak Street Beach. So barring any new
snow storms, we’re good to go. Bring on the miles…

I Love Rust… and Irony.

Gary — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:57:25 +0000

Another Snowy Ride

Gary — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:54:40 +0000

The sun was out today and I took the afternoon off for another bike ride.
The temperature is expected to go up over the next couple days yet. And it’s hard
not to get my hopes up too high and think that Spring is just days away!!! So while
I know that it’s STILL Winter, and that is will most likely snow again… it is always
great to get out and play. Today it was especially nice to see that the “glaciers” are gone
and it was refreshing to hear the waves once again crashing along the lakefront.

But tonight… it’s back to the studio!

My Bisque Kiln: Layer By Layer

Gary — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 22:45:12 +0000

So I loaded another electric bisque kiln tonight before class. I love loading kilns.
It’s like a three-dimensional, spatial-relationship puzzle trying to fill every space,
fit it all together and get as much in as possible! The beauty of a bisque kiln is that you can
carefully stack the greenware to optimize the spacing in the kiln. I always do good
at the bottom layer, but it always seems tougher as you get towards the top and start to
run out of “options” and no more smaller pieces to squeeze in. I hate leaving open spaces.
It seems like a waste of space. I should have made more!

Layer One: All mugs!

Layer Two: More mugs, bowls and berry bowls…

Layer Three: Bowls, berry bowls, berry bowl plates… and a couple mugs!

Layer Four: Plates… and my new butter dish “prototypes”!!!

Lillstreet Spring Classes: Classes Start March 23rd

Gary — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:01:28 +0000

Although we still have two more weeks of the Winter Session…
Spring Classes will be starting soon… and registration is already open!

Don’t wait too long to sign-up. My Tuesday night Beginning Wheelthrowing Class
typically fills up, and I would hate to have you end up on the waiting list.
The class is for brand new beginners who want to get dirty and play in the clay…
as well as returning Beginners who still need to brush up on some basics and
refine their skills. You can sign-up in person at Lillstreet, or register on the
Lillstreet website. Either way… sign up today!

“Empty Bowls” Fundraiser at Lillstreet

Gary — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:18:45 +0000

Once again this year, Lillstreet is holding a special benefit to help fight hunger.
“Empty Bowls” benefits are held across the country with potters of all levels donating
their work to raise money for local hunger-fighting organizations. At our benefit,
people will be able to choose form hundreds of handmade ceramic bowls for a suggested
donation of $20. Not only do you get to keep the bowl, but it will also be filled with soup
and a piece of bread courtesy of First Slice Cafe. One hundred percent of the proceeds
will be given to First Slice Cafe so they may continue to create healthy meals for local
organizations whose mission includes helping those who are hungry and/or homeless.
Last year’s event raised over $19,000 for First Slice Cafe. We’re hoping to top that this year…
and several of my handmade bowls will be in the mix!

Empty Bowls Fundraiser
Friday, March 5th - 5:00pm-8:00pm

Lillstreet Art Center
4401 North Ravenswood at Montrose, Chicago, Illinois 60640

Berry Bowl Plates

Gary — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:18:17 +0000

A lot of little plates thrown today… hopefully I’ll get them all trimmed tomorrow?!