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

While I’m still “struggling” to keep Summer alive… hanging on as long as I can… I must admit to myself that it is time to start focusing on my new Fall harvest. Starting with wheelthrown spheres… these little babies will be “pumpkintized” when they get to a soft leatherhard stage.

Categories: mugs, porcelain, process, production

Suddenly a batch of porcelain mug forms have shown up in my studio… next up?… stamping, trimming, handles & colored flashing slip accents… in that order!

Categories: mugs, process, production

Handles pulled & looped over. I always pull my handles by hand, and loop them over to stand them up like this. They will set-up like this a bit before I start attaching them to the mug cylinders. This way, they are already 90% set to their eventual curve… so I won’t need to bend them too much after they stiffen up more.

Categories: process, production

Here we go… gonna try to squeeze out some quick handles on my mugs… after summer camp & before I teach my intermediate wheel adults tonight. It’s gonna be close…

Categories: mugs, process, production, tools

Spinning fast… trimming bottoms… loving my DiamondCore Tools for smooth trimming! A perfect combination when used with my Giffin Grip to help center & hold the mug down for easier trimming!

Categories: glaze, kiln firing, mugs

It’s been a LONG day at the studio… morning camp, afternoon camp, glazing, more glazing… and then teaching again tonight. And as if that weren’t enough, I also loaded a kiln after class … later than planned as the person before me didn’t unload their pieces yesterday as they were scheduled to do. I had to wait… finally able to load late tonight after class!!! Here’s just one layer of the kiln with some new, colorful mugs… which might be coming “still warm” to the GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR this weekend?!

Categories: glaze, mugs, production

Between summer camp & teaching tonight, I’ve been trying to get a lot of glazing done! Trying my best to squeeze in one last glaze kiln before this weekend’s GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR. It’s been rough… as glazing is my least favorite part of the whole process!

Categories: mugs, process, production

Handles attached… another batch of mugs done!!! I’ll let them sit under plastic overnight so they don’t dry to fast. Then tomorrow I’ll unwrap them and smooth out anything that needs to be attended to before I let them dry.

Categories: mugs, process, production

And while I “should” be home prepping, pricing & packing for this weekend’s art fair… I thought it best to hedge my bets and start making another batch of mugs as replenishment for the next two art fairs!!! I can pack later tonight… or tomorrow, right?!

Categories: flower pots, process, production, terra cotta

Did some late-night studio work this evening… adding some underglaze accents to this latest batch of terra cotta flower pots. Just gotta wipe off the surface… leaving the underglaze only in the stamps, and then a bit of clear liner glaze! Hoping to get these all done & ready for next weekend’s PLANTS & POTTERY POP-UP!!!