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

Mugs for the non-coffee drinker?… try making it a small succulent planter! Drill a hole in the bottom for drainage, or just add a layer of pebbles before planting. The cutest!!!

Categories: bike, sunrise

And just one quick photo… to show that my morning photos shoots don’t always go according to plan!!! But I’ll still try… and take one for the team!

Categories: bike, Chicago, sunrise

So when I mentioned yesterday that I LOVE the cloudy & moody mornings… I’m not sure I meant quite this much?!!! It was pretty “drama-filled” this morning with the windy gusts, crashing waves & plenty of clouds!!!

Categories: bike, sunrise

Dramatic clouds covering the sky this morning… loving the color & the moody changes. I always prefer the dramatic cloudy mornings over the clear sky sunrises. Today was a good one!

Categories: art fair

Just a quick reminder that this weekend is the GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR… and we’re returning to the original location at Lyon Elementary School in Glenview. Mark your calendars… I hope to see you & your pottery-loving friends there!

Categories: flowers, garden

Such a pleasant surprise to see that my Wild Columbine is blooming again. I don’t think that I knew that these could even re-bloom… but apparently they do?! Just giving me one more chance to collect some seeds to spread around & save some for next year too.

I was told that these were quite “invasive” and they would spread like crazy… and they haven’t… even though I REALLY want them to!!! So I’m going to try both spreading seeds this Fall… and then sowing some more next Spring too with fingers crossed that one or the other grow all over the place!!!

Categories: mugs, soda-fired, stamped

Playing with textures & patterns again… with another batch of “hybrid mugs” fresh out of the soda kiln! I’ve really loved exploring the combination of wheelthrown & handbuilt parts & pieces… and how they come together into one seamless mug… or in this case, several mugs!!! Many of these hybrid mugs will be with me this weekend at the GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR! Come on by to see them & fondle them in person!

Categories: color, flowers

I was awe-struck by how saturated the reds were on these day lilies. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a vibrant & saturated RED before! Crazy beautiful…

Categories: bike, sunrise

Quiet reflections rippling on the lake. A wonderful morning with cooler temperatures, lower humidity & no smoky haze… such a great way to start the morning.

Categories: mugs, soda-fired, stamped, textures

Always fun to see some of my new “hybrid mugs” thriving out in the wild… enjoying a picnic on the back porch somewhere out in the woods!!! “Hybrid” being a combination of wheelthrown & handbuilt parts… along with some amazing textures made with my MKM Pottery Tools hand rollers!