Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play
Categories: platters, stamped, stamps, surface decoration, textures

Stamping a large platter… adding a textured border around the edge using just two stamps! Each one pressed in one-at-a-time! Making single impressions that add-up to a beautiful textured surface. Perfect for another Texture Tuesday!

Categories: nature

A bit more color peeking through… but still plenty of clouds!

Categories: architecture, sunrise

Without the sun, with plenty of clouds instead!

Categories: classes, stamped, teapot, textures

So I finally finished up assembling my last class demo from the December session at Lillstreet. It was a final “demo-on-demand” for Dan… a teapot with a knobby handle on the side instead of a normal handle. Honestly, I’ve never made one like this before… but I’m always up for a challenge! Sure, it may have taken awhile, but I think it turned out okay… for my first one! Thanks for the challenge Dan!

Categories: architecture

Not every often do you get to see Navy Pier’s Festival Hall with nothing in it. Usually it’s filled with trade shows, garden shows, the SOFA art show, Winter WonderFest… err, well this year… LIGHT UP THE LAKE! A fun new illuminated holiday event sure to come back again next year!

Categories: garden, nature

Such cool leaves with great cuts, lobes & holes through the leaves…
and they’re HUGE! These leaves are almost three feet long!!!

Categories: food, lillstreet

Okay, so since the pandemic changed the world… it also changed Lillstreet in many ways. Including a small little rule of not having food in the classrooms anymore. But they can’t really expect me to fully go cold turkey, right?! Crazy talk!!!

So we may have “smuggled in” a few contraband OREOs along the way with the code word being “yellow towel.” We gotta keep them hidden… cautiously sharing… and always cleaning up & hiding the evidence at the end of the night!

Categories: process, production, studio, tools

More trimming, more fun.
You know how I love trimming…
especially with my DiamondCore Tools & Giffin Grip!
Two of my favorite tools working well together to get the job done.
Spinning fast, gripping tight & trimming sharp!
Especially on these pieces still left over from last session… before the holidays!!!

Categories: classes, mugs, process, production

I’ve had these photos for awhile… but never to late for a little flashback to my Intermediate Wheelthrowing class last Fall when we focused on making mug handles for the night! I showed them how I pull my handles separately… starting with a little carrot-shaped nugget of clay. Smoothy & evenly pulled, then looped over on themselves so they can stiffen-up with a nice curved loop. So many people avoid making mugs because they HATE making handles… but it was my goal to get this group over that hurdle through simple repetition.

Categories: food, friends, pottery, stamped

Looks like my friend Rosene has been in the kitchen again…
using her stamped & glazed pie plate… this time for MEATLOAF!!!

And I quote…“Yep, meatloaf… with some new light orange squash… yummy… I really don’t like to cook!!!! But I love playing with my pottery!”