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

Score, slip, attached… repeat.
And repeat, repeat, repeat… and repeat again!!!

Categories: mugs, process, production

Handles pulled the traditional way… and then looped-over so they can start to set-up with the curve already established.

Categories: mugs, process, production

Time to pull some handles…

Categories: mugs, process, production, stamped, textures

Mugs assembled…still have to a good bit of trimming & refining. And then the ever-popular task of adding handles to all of them. Eyes on the PRIZE!!! It looks like it’s going to be a very long night finishing up these hybrid mugs!

Categories: bowls, process, production

After summer camp, but before teaching tonight… and I think I can crank out a quick batch of mini bowls. Fingers crossed…

Categories: mugs, process, production

Handles are attached & mugs are made. So now it’s time to add some accents of colored flashing slip before I set them out to dry. I like to paint the top “banded” area, and a little touch of color on each of the stamps. If all goes well, this colored slip will turn orange in my next soda firing!

Categories: kiln firing, pottery, process, production, soda-fired, stamped

Okay, so I’ve been a little busy with unloading my soda kiln, scraping shelves, kiln washing the shelves, teaching & Summer Camping!!! So here are a few “delayed” shots from Monday night’s unloading. I’m pretty pleased with all of the bright pops of color throughout! So glad that soda-firing does not have to be all gray & brown all the time!

Categories: glaze, mugs, process, production

Stamps inlaid with glazes & wiped clean… now to add a liner glaze of tenmoku to match!

Categories: glaze, mugs, process, production, stamped

Starting off today with a batch of mugs that need to be glazed & wadded. I’ve applied a layer of tenmoku glaze into all of the stamped impressions to help accentuate the textures & patterns. Now to wipe it off… leaving the glaze inlaid in the stamps!

Categories: glaze, process, production

You know it’s my least favorite part of the pottery process. But it’s got to be be done. So I’ve been working the past couple days trying to make some headway through my bisque… as I need to fill a soda kiln this weekend! At least this accidental “smiling sponge” made me happy this morning to kick-off another day of glazing!!!