Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: holiday, terra cotta, The Ghouls Collection

Well, you’ve waited long enough… and they’re finally out of the kiln… ready to give you a devilish smirky smile. This year’s addition to THE GHOULS COLLECTION… the Little Red Devils!!! Here’s your first sneak peek of these cuties as they get packed up for ART IN THE BARN this weekend. As always, it’s a limited edition of forty Red Devils… and when they’re gone, they’re gone… and “retired” from the collection!!!

Categories: holiday, terra cotta, The Ghouls Collection

Plenty of pumpkins headed to ART IN THE BARN this weekend. Just in time for Halloween decor… with cute little pumpkins that the squirrels won’t chew through!!!

Categories: art fair, holiday, terra cotta, The Ghouls Collection

Opening the kiln… filled with pumpkins & little red devils!!!
I might have pushing the deadline a smidge… but now they’re all fired, prepped, priced and ready for this weekend’s “Big Debut” at ART IN THE BARN!!!… which starts tomorrow by the way!!!

Categories: platters, stamped, textures

Plenty of platters!!!
I’m pretty excited to be bringing a bunch of NEW textured platters to ART IN THE BARN this weekend! It’s been fun exploring a new form with some new layered textures & patterns! You know I come from the school of MORE IS MORE… and I think I’ve succeeded!!!

Categories: art fair, pottery

Just in case you’ve “missed” all of my not-so-subtle hints… this weekend is ART IN THE BARN on the grounds of Advocate Good Shepard Hospital in Barrington. It’s a wonderful collection of artists, entertainment & fall fun for everyone! I will be in the Lower Barn in my double booth as usual. Twice the booth, twice the amount of pottery!!! It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful weekend. I hope you can come out to say “Hi”… and bring a friend!!!

Categories: color, glaze, platters, stamped, textures

Swirls, spirals & stamps! A mesmerizing combination with a deep green glaze making this platter a stunner! More plates & platters like this will be coming with me to ART IN THE BARN this weekend in Barrington! C’mon out… I’ll be in the Lower Barn in my usual double booth space!

Categories: art fair, holiday, terra cotta

Cute little guy showing off his skull necklace… my photographer friend Brad’s son Jack! Apparently he loves the skull, and wears it as a good luck charm at every baseball game!!! Just one of the holiday pieces I make for ART IN THE BARN. I have a little collection of Halloween necklaces just for the kids… just a dollar if the kids buy them for themselves, but more expensive if the parents get involved! I like introducing the kids into making decisions & purchases at an art fair… made especially for them!!!

Categories: art fair, kiln firing, process, production

Just under the wire!!!… making the weekend’s art fair deadline… CPLT… two kilns done… and now cooling! One kiln full of devils & pumpkins, the other kiln full of new bowls & platters! Looking forward to unloading them both for ART IN THE BARN this weekend… whew… just in time!!!

Categories: bike, sunrise

What a difference a day makes… not a cloud in the sky after yesterday’s gray cloud-fest! Still a few gentle waves, but nothing compared to the crashing waves from yesterday. A beautiful start to the day… even though I have added long-sleeves to the morning ride… it’s a bit chilly in the morning these days!

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

Don’t think that ART IN THE BARN will be “just” Red Devil Ghouls!!!… I will also have plenty of mugs, bowls, vases & all of my other functional work! No worries… I’ve been stamping, soda-firing & glazing regular pottery for this weekend too!!! It’s not just about the little red devils!