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

Here we go again…
making more handles… making more MUGS!!!
My favorite thing to make!

Categories: flowers, garden, nature

I’m kinda excited… I’m trying to grow dahlias this summer for the first time. I started them indoors and these little nuggets popped up this morning!!! Just in time for NATIONAL GARDENING DAY!!!

Categories: textures, tools

Some new texture fun just “rolled” into my studio… some new hand rollers from MKM Pottery Tools!!! Can’t wait to give these a quick roll over some clay to see the groovy cool patterns they’re going to make!!!

Categories: color, tie-dye

Another colorful t-shirt for TIE-DYE TUESDAY!
I’ve been busy in the kitchen letting the ice melt & the colors spread! This one was just a crumpled shirt covered with ice and then sprinkled with powdered RIT Dyes! The melting does the magic!!!

Categories: color, tie-dye

More fun splashing colors & making spirals… I just can’t stop myself!

This time I scrunched a spiral into the shirt, sprinkled the RIT powdered dye onto the shirt, and then covered the whole thing with ice cubes! Easy-peezy… and so happy that the spiral turned out so well!

Categories: bike, sunrise

Not a cloud in the sky… just clear sailing this morning on my bike. A little chilly still along the lakefront… but Spring is warming up nicely… just not this morning!

Categories: art fair, artists, pottery

Look what showed up in the mail today! The poster for THE ST. CROIX VALLEY POTTERY TOUR! I’ve been going to this pottery tour for over a decade – always one of my favorite road trips.

Until now… last year & again this year they will be going “virtual” with online sales instead of an in-person event. So much more fun to touch, love & actually feel the pottery… as well as chat with the artists in-person. But I get it… staying safe during these crazy times. Guess we’ll have to play online instead… with fingers crossed for the in-person tour to return next year!!! Now if I could just wrangle an invite to be one of the potters included THAT would truly make my day!!!

Categories: production, stamped

This afternoon’s project… some quick trimming & detailing with colored flashing slips before class starts! I’ve got “a few” spoon rests to finish up… and limited time. Giddy-up!!!

Categories: flowers, nature

Beautiful sunshine streaming through splashing some bright light & dramatic shadows on the colorful Spring flowers.

Categories: bike, Chicago

Too beautiful outside today to NOT go for another bike ride, right?! Clear blue skies with a strong wind coming in from the west… made it pretty, but challenging in both directions of my 40-mile ride! A quick stop off at a “still-closed-for-pandemic” Navy Pier… and now off to the studio to finish some pieces off & to teach tonight!!!