Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: challenge, handbuilding, lillstreet, wheelthrowing

This past week in my GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN class, my students tackled their “last” big class challenge as we are sadly nearing the end of the class session. They’ve done handbuilding challenges, they’ve done wheelthrowing challenges… they’ve played silly games & posed for silly pictures! It has been a great class session with GREAT students in class this time around.

So to top things off… I decided to challenge them with something they “never saw coming!”

BLINDFOLDS!!!

I had them separate into teams by randomly rolling dice. They then got matching color bandanas as blindfolds… and the one who had a small safety pin on it had to go first. So they put their blindfolds on… and stood there while their partners found out what their task would be. They each rolled some dice to find out what number their team would be throwing!

And then they set-off to do their best… one throwing blindly with just their partner to describe & paint a mental picture of the outcome!

And then, after the throwers had made their shapes as best they could… and the timer went off… we switched places. The ones doing the describing put their blindfolds on, as the wheelthrowers took theirs off. Only then did they find out that the newly blindfolded members would now be responsible for refining the shape and adding handles to match the original pictures. Okay, sure… maybe I drew some of the handles in…

And again, when the time was up… the teams brought their final pieces to the table for critiques, judging & admiration. I think everyone had a good time with this challenge. There was a LOT of laughter along the way!

Categories: bowls, challenge, classes, lillstreet, surface decoration

As part of the GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN, my students we encouraged to finish their projects from Week Two for judging at Week 9… this past Thursday. Remember back when they had to throw a large serving bowl, pass it to another to match, and then pass it back to finish it up… and make coordinating serving utensils to go with it. Well here are the Top Three… congratulations Ashley, Katie & Aaron!

Categories: nature

Looks like Adam made it out to Illinois Beach State Park again… and the fortune cookie scavenger hunt is still on!!! Yep, I placed twenty-three ceramic fortune cookies out there over New Years Weekend… 23 for 2023… and apparently people are still finding them! Thanks for keeping us posted Adam… and congrats on adding another fortune cookie to your collection!

Categories: mugs, process

Well, the first batch of SHAMROCK MUGS has been set off into the world! The rest will hopefully go out Monday morning. With a HUGE THANKS to everyone who did a little “window-shopping” & to those who actually did some shopping last night during my online Facebook sale. They all went pretty fast… and it looks like there is only one lonely Shamrock Mug left… still looking for a good home!

Categories: bowls, food, stamped

Now THAT’s a beautiful berry bowl!!!
Sure, the bowl is pretty… but those berries are stunning! Thanks for sharing Beth!

Categories: holiday, mugs, stamped

Here we go!!! My second annual ☘️ SHAMROCK MUG SALE ☘️ has just gone LIVE only here on my pottery Facebook page!!! I just posted a large collection of handmade, stamped & glazed shamrock mugs. They’re all up for sale… first come, first served!

We’re going old-school on Facebook! Just be the first person to claim your mugs… by posting the word “MINE” in the Comment section on the Facebook photo of the mug you want. The first person on each mug will win! I’ll follow-up with Facebook Messages with additional details. Dimensions, volume & prices are posted on each individual photo. Prices included packing & shipping within the contiguous US. Once confirmed I’ll start packing up the mugs and shipping them out… so you can get your new Shamrock Mugs by St. Patrick’s Day!!!

Click here to go to my pottery Facebook Page! – www.facebook.com/firewhenreadypottery

Categories: holiday, mugs, stamped

Set your timer… my second annual SHAMROCK MUG SALE starts in just one hour only here on my pottery Facebook page! There’s a limited quantity of holiday green shamrock mugs… so don’t miss out! When they’re gone, they’re gone for another year!

Categories: holiday, mugs, stamped

MORE SHAMROCK MUGS… going up for sale tonight only on my pottery Facebook page! Come back later tonight at 7:00pm cst to grab a festive green holiday mug!

Click here at 7:00pm – www.facebook.com/firewhenreadypottery

Categories: holiday, mugs, stamped

Tonight on my pottery Facebook page! Go to www.facebook.com/firewhenreadypottery at 7:00pm cst for the big kick-off… first come, first served!

Categories: holiday, mugs, stamped

My second annual ☘️ SHAMROCK MUG SALE ☘️ kicks-off tomorrow at 7:00pm cst!!! Only on my pottery Facebook page! Lots of mugs, lots of green ☘️!!!

Click here tomorrow to see some green mugs! – www.facebook.com/firewhenreadypottery