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

So I may have been gone for a quick weekend away… but it’s right back in the studio this morning! With another 10×10 challenge… more than ten pieces before 10:00am! This time it’s more flower pots with water drip trays! Stamping still to come… obviously!!!

Categories: bike, sunrise

Windy & cloudy! Nice & warm this morning, but you can tell there’s some weather flying around today! The humidity is way up there… and it looks like Michigan might be having some “weather” of their own on the other side of the lake this morning!

Categories: art fair

Kickin’ off my Summer Art Fair schedule next weekend at the SCHAUMBURG PRAIRIE ARTS FESTIVAL. The village location is still under construction, so I will once again be on the other grassy side of the park in my “new” location… same as last year Booth 96. It might be a little “hectic” there, but we all look forward to seeing everyone come out for this fun show!

Such a pretty location… pond, fountain, swans, trees, grass…
now if they just perhaps had a “prettier’ poster??? Just sayin’…

Categories: sunset

A beautifully cloudy sunset as the roadtrip continues…
this time in the opposite direction! Just a quick weekend getaway!

Categories: rusty

Another great roadtrip to Central Illinois… driving past my favorite weathered barn.
Love this barn… and how it has changed over the decades.
A little more dilapidated every time you drive by!!!

Rusty metal, weathered barn boards & blue skies… what’s not to like???

Categories: bowls, classes, process, production

Possibly my fastest turn-around ever?!

After returning from Minnesota… I realized I had nothing ready for my SURFACE DECORATION class for a night of glazing fun. So Tuesday early evening, I threw fifteen bowls before teaching my Tuesday night class. That same evening late after class, I trimmed them all… dried them as much as I could overnight on plastic racks… and then they were in a bisque kiln early the very next morning! Done, fired & ready in time for last night’s class… a fun SURPRISE!… with a “free” bowl for each student to experiment on instead of using one of their own “precious” pots!!!

Whew, that was a quick one!

Categories: classes, glaze, surface decoration

So last night in my SURFACE DECORATION class, I challenged my students to a bunch of experimental glazing techniques. They each randomly chose a different “challenge”… and glazed one of my “freebie” demo bowls following & interpreting the instructions! They all had so much fun… and now we’re all anxious to see the results!!!

Categories: totem pole

So THIS happened yesterday. My friends in Peoria are proud owners of a custom totem pole… and let’s just say, that is NOT a parking space!!! Apparently some crazy driver zoom-backed into their yard, breaking the fence, smashing some plants… and landing precariously close to my totem pole!!! Took them all day to figure it out… towing the car out late last night. Luckily, the totem pole is just fine!!!

A close call.

Categories: bike, sunrise

Wonderful colors splashed upon a lot of cloud-cover this morning. It started out great… and I had huge expectations. But then it sort of just petered-out. We never saw the actual sunrise. It just kinda fizzled and the clouds won!!!

Categories: television

So I got to the studio a little early… flipped on my TV…
Peacock came up… and something AMAZING showed-up on my screen!!!

THE TRAITORS CANADA!!!

And it looks like they dropped three full seasons all at once!!! OMG!!! I had no idea this was coming. I’m beyond excited… especially with the Survivor 50 Finale next Wednesday. Something wonderful to look forward to!!! The addition is real…