Celebrating MUGSHOT MONDAY with just “a couple” mugs! I’ve got a bit of glazing to tackle today. My soda kiln is scheduled for this weekend… so the deadline is coming quick and I’m just starting to glaze!!! Gotta stay focused… and get my glaze on!!!




Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
A Chicago potter’s somewhat slanted view of clay & play |
Celebrating MUGSHOT MONDAY with just “a couple” mugs! I’ve got a bit of glazing to tackle today. My soda kiln is scheduled for this weekend… so the deadline is coming quick and I’m just starting to glaze!!! Gotta stay focused… and get my glaze on!!!
Doing some more repetitive stamping on a couple larger pieces tonight… row by row, layer by layer… one stamp at a time!
Cylinders trimmed & handles pulled… time to start attaching!
Making more MUGS!!!
So I’ve been stamping another batch of mugs! A little “something” different as they wre made with a new kind of clay. A tilemaker friend of mine bought some new clay and didn’t like how it “felt” when he started using it. And then when he fired his tiles, they all cracked during the firing. So he believes there might be something wrong with the clay?! He passed it on to me to give it a try… and here I did. I will agree it felt a little goopey & sticky… a little more finicky… but ultimately I made some cylinders for mugs. It was a little tougher to get them to stand up & hold their shape. But I’m sure I’ll get used to it… as he’s planning on passing his “bad” clay onto me!!! Bring it on… CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!
Mug 1 – before & after…
Mug 2 – before & after…
Mug 3 – before & after…
Mug 4 – before & after…
Mug 5 – before & after…
Mug 6 – before & after…
Mug 7 – before & after…
Mug 8 – before & after…
Mug 9 – before & after…
So for now
Last night in my pottery class, I did a handles demo – both pulling & attaching. I did two mug attachments in class… but I had another eight to finish today!
Tackling the bottoms of some new stamped platters in the studio today. To trim a clean footring across such a wide expanse, it helps to have sharp trimming tools… like this favorite from DiamondCore Tools!
Just doin’ a bit of stamping again… on another batch of mugs again! Handmade stamps making textures & patterns on handmade mugs!
So after a full day of playing hooky in the perfectly beautiful outdoors… I did feel a tiny tinge of guilt… so I stopped by the studio to do a little stamping… and then THIS happened!!!!
So I just finished stamping another large platter.
One “magical” stamp doing most of the work!!!
Starting with just one line along the perimeter…
And if one line looks good… why not make it TWO?!!!
Two is good… but let’s go all the way with FOUR!!!
And here’s the handmade clay stamp that did “all” of the work!!!
Handles pulled and stiffening up a bit… it’s always tough to wait. I just want to start attaching right away, but it’s so much easier & cleaner if you wait a bit. Tough to do… but I am…
Gary Jackson: Fire When Ready Pottery
Lillstreet Studios ∙ 4401 North Ravenswood, Chicago, Illinois 60640 ∙ 773-307-8664 gary@firewhenreadypottery.com |