I love seeing that my pottery is already celebrating the holidays across the country.
It’s great to see that something that gives me such happiness to make
also gives such joy to those on the other end. Happy Holidays all around.

Be sure to send me your photos throughout the holiday season of Fire When Ready Pottery in action… platters with desserts, plates with pie, mugs with coffee, unwrapped pottery gifts, ornaments on a tree, anything & everything… wherever my pottery has traveled. Thank you… e-mail photos to gary@firewhenreadypottery.com

So what would happen if two of my favorite things came together???
Pottery AND Reality TV.

Well, it looks like it’s about to happen over “on the other side of the pond.”
Seems like there’s a new Reality TV show brewing with potters as contestants.
Not sure of the details, or if we can see i there in the States, but… I’m in !!!

Click here for the preview commercial on YouTube!

Lots of pots ready to go to a new home. Maybe yours?
Stop by the Evanston Lakeshore Arts Festival. 11:00am-6:00pm today & tomorrow.
We’re in Booth #32 with a beautiful “backyard” view of the Lake!!!

Another wonderful video of Korean master potters at work. It shows the entire process from decorating, carving, glazing, loading the kiln, unloading and admiring. The only part it doesn’t show is the initial throwing of the vessel… or any sort of mirth, merriment or Oreo’s?!!! That must be what I’m doing wrong?!…

Click here for the “Icheon Masters” video on Vimeo.

I’m continuing my Spring cleaning efforts. And a few more “non-perfect” pots were the “victims” of my efforts. The first batch of pottery shards were snatched up by some Facebook Fans VERY quickly!!! I’m looking forward to see what they “create” with the shards. I believe that this latest batch of shards will go towards the new bricolage project in the back staircase of Lillstreet Art Center

It’s tough for me to smash my own pots…
luckily, my Dad was more than willing to take care of “the dirty deed.”

I hope you’ve made your plans for some great pottery fun this weekend!
C’mon… make it a fun road-trip weekend to Minnesota and play with the rest of us. I’ll be there mingling, admiring, networking, shopping, collecting and hanging out with the rest of the cool kids! You should be one of them too!!! There will be a TON of great pottery up there made by some wonderful potters.

Sadly, I’m not one of them… yet. Dare to dream, right?!

Click here for more information, directions and potter profiles!

Closing in on some “kiln deadlines”…
and yet still throwing a little larger today. Taller vases & bigger bowls.

Mark your calendars… all of the pottery fun begins one month from today!!!
It’s your best chance to meet over 50 talented potters at seven different studio locations…
all within easy driving distance of each other! Three full days filled with wonderful pottery for every taste. Whether you’re more functional, more decorative, or more illustrative… there’s plenty of pots for everyone! Although you’ll need to fight me for the good stuff… as I will be there shopping bright & early Friday morning!!!

St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour
Friday, Saturday & Sunday : May 8th, 9th & 10th, 2015.

Click here for their website with more details, artist profiles, maps & directions.
www.minnesotapotters.com

So what was in the boxes?… you may be wondering???
Although I’m pretty sure you have figured it out by now…

Well, I met Steven Hill a few years ago and began doing some freelance graphic design for him. We worked together on several projects while he was here in Illinois starting up Center Street Clay. Our plan was always that we would “trade” services… my graphic design for some of his incredible pottery. A couple years have passed… Steven has moved back to Missouri. He’s still making beautiful pots and very busy with his workshop schedule. And I had pretty much written off any chance of getting my pottery “payment.” What I did get was a good friend to chat with… to mock, mimic & give a hard time to about his missing “dinnerware fulfillment” every time I see him. Okay, I must admit that it’s been fun to continually drop “hints” about my dinnerware over the past few years in person and on Facebook!!!

Well… much to my surprise…
the two large boxes contained my Steven Hill Pottery “payment.”
A wonderful surprise. Incredible pottery. Thoughtful & very generous of Steven Hill.
I had pretty much written it off… he is apparently good on his word. Slow, but good.

Thank you Steven!!!

Ta-da!!!… another beautiful Steven Hill pitcher. Fresh on the wheel during a workshop.
You can almost see the onlookers gasping…

Enough about Steven and his workshops…
Sure, he’s a great potter. Sure, he does groovy slip decorations.
Sure, he has beautiful glazes. Sure, he puts on a fantastic workshop.
Sure, his work is coveted by so many all over the place. Sure, he’s “famous.”
Sure, he’s the face or Skutt Wheels in all of the ceramics magazines. Sure… I get it.

But back to me…
Here’s a little glimpse of my new Steven Hill dinnerware set… it’s wonderful!!!

A huge Thank You to Steven.
His work is beautiful… and my Care Packages were filled with his incredible pottery!!!
Such a wonderful gift to unexpectedly receive in the mail.

Steven, I can’t wait to see you at the St. Croix River Valley Pottery Tour
in May to thank you in person!!! You rocked it!!!