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

Stamping mugs again… using my own handmade clay stamps to make the impressions. I press them in when the clay is a soft-leatherhard. Still a little malleable, but not at all sticky. If the pots dry out too much, the stamp won’t go in deep enough to make a good impression.

MUG 1 –

MUG 2 –

MUG 3 –

MUG 4 –

MUG 5 –

MUG 6 –

MUG 7 –

MUG 8 –

MUG 9 –

Next up we need to do some trimming… carving out a footring on the bottom! Then a few handles… and voila’... soon we’ll have more mugs!!!

Categories: bike, sunrise

Another warm morning with a bit of a breeze! Leaves were blowing around everywhere!!! I just hope they don’t all come off the trees today. I want these pretty Fall colors to hang on a lot longer!

Categories: process, production, stamped, surface decoration, textures, vases

All stamped & detailed with colored flashing slip. Set aside for the night as they start to dry… for an upcoming bisque kiln! Meanwhile, freshly thrown pots cover my work table hoping that they stiffen up enough overnight so I can stamp them tomorrow!

Categories: bike, color, nature

So I worked in my studio all morning…
but with today’s FANTASTIC summer temperatures…
how can I be expected to stay inside?! I CAN’T!!!

So… I went for a fantastic bike ride outside all afternoon.
Loving the colors. Loving the weather.
Loving the freedom on my bike!

And now back to the studio for the evening…

Categories: process, production, stamped, stamps, textures, vases

A little early morning stamping… larger vases getting patterned & textured. So now they need some trimming & colored flashing slip accents before they start to dry!

Categories: sunrise

Colorful clouds graced the skies this morning… gently blowing through the City. Warmer temps are headed our way. Looks like beautiful weather for today & through the weekend. Methinks this might be our favorite “Indian Summer” weekend?

Well THAT doesn’t sound too “politically correct” these days?… is there a new phrase for this gorgeous weather weekend that I haven’t heard of yet??? Or is this one still okay to use?

Categories: nature, seasons

Beautiful, but the leaves are dropping fast!
Hopefully they can hang on at least for one more beautiful weekend?!

Categories: stamped, surface decoration, vases

No chance for a sunrise on this overly cloudy morning, so I did some early-morning stamping instead! No sweat… literally.

Categories: nature, seasons

After a couple days of cold gray skies, it was so nice to see the sun again today! Just in time to catch some of the fantastic Fall colors still hanging on!

Categories: food, friends

So my friend Pam has a “slightly unhealthy obsession” with Chapstick… and you already know of my “ever-so-slight-addiction”… so imagine my laughter & surprise when our mutual friend Judy gave this to me last night!!! Like an unhealthy love-child of Pam & mine!!! HA!!!