This weekend was the kick-off of Chicago Artist’s Month in Chicago – with the Ravenswood Art Walk yesterday & today. Studios up & down the Ravenswood Corridor were open for the weekend so people could meet the artists, see some art and check-out the studio spaces. We had a pretty steady crowd flowing through Lillstreet. But for those of you who couldn’t make it this weekend… I thought I would give you a quick tour of my studio! Feel free to stop by…

Last night was the Opening Reception of “Collective Conversations In Clay” at Lillstreet Art Center in Chicago. The show is a collaborative effort of ten ceramic artists. Artists were paired up with a partner to collaborate on their pieces for the exhibition. Each artist was to create a piece in their own style – as well as finishing a piece of their partner’s in their style as well. So it’s a matter of applying your style to someone else’s form.

The collaborating pairs were:
Emily Murphy & Gary Jackson… yep, that’s me!
Jay Strommen & Debra Fritts
Joanna Kramer & Dustin Yager
Gina Hutchings & Sarah Hicks
Shane Grimes & Nancy Pirri

Emily Murphy and I were collaborating partners. We’ve worked together for years with our studios near each other – but never collaborating on actual pieces! So it was a nice challenge for both of us. I decided to create my totem pole form. Stamping & glazing mine… and giving her a set so she could do her thing.

And she created two sets if her “signature” dinnerware. One of them she finished herself, the other set she gave to me when it was leather hard to finish in my style. She added slipped, I stamped. We both sprayed some glaze and soda-fired our dinnerware sets.

The Opening Reception was also the kick-off of Chicago Artist’s Month in Chicago. Which also coincides with the Ravenswood Artwalk this weekend. So there was a lot of traffic flowing through Lillstreet – stopping in to see the show and visit the studios. The gallery show continues through October 31, 2008.

“Collective Conversations In Clay” •    beingtobeing.com
Lillstreet Art Center, 4401 North Ravenswood, Chicago, IL 60640
(773) 769-4226  •  lillstreet.com

Plus, there’s a great new Artist-In-Residence at Lillstreet.
I’ve yet to meet her… but she makes really cool stuff!
Her name is Stacey Lee Webber and she’s a metalsmith.
In the hallway, there is currently a display case with some of her work.
Including some really cool “spheres” made out of screws!
Yes, screws… plain, old-fashioned screws from the hardware store!
But then she welds them, screws them, connects them, strings them,
rolls them, wraps them… and creates these really cool screwballs.

And oh, but wait there’s more…
she’s also made an incredible “replica” of a tape measure. You know, the kind
where you pull out the tape to measure things – and then it zips back in and
hits your finger if you’re not careful. Well, she’s made a replica out of nothing
but pennies!!! The casing is pennies… as is each “inch” of the tape measure
represented by an actual penny, flattened on two edges and hinged together!!!
She may be crazy… but brilliant none the less. Can’t wait to meet her…

October means it’s time to feature the artists of Chicago… in Chicago.
Studios & galleries all around the city will be featuring local artists.
This weekend is the big kick-off with plenty of shows, exhibits & openings
all over the city. The Ravenswood Art Walk will be on Saturday & Sunday
featuring the many artists that work along the Ravenswood Corridor.
You can stop in at Lillstreet Art Center and visit my studio
on the second floor throughout the month of October.

Or kick-off Chicago Artists’ Month at the Opening Reception for
“Collective Conversations in Clay” at Lillstreet Art Center.
I will be participating as one of the featured local Chicago artists!
Saturday, October 4th from 4:00-7:00pm.
4401 North Ravenswood at Montrose, Chicago, IL 60640

Support your local artists.
Or pick up a crayon and embrace your own inner-artist!

October is here. Summer is over.

Fall is my favorite season – but I’m still suffering from “summer separation anxiety.” I really want summer to go on forever… and have a hard time accepting the fact that fall is here. And as the season changes, so do my morning bike rides. No longer can I get up, hop on my bike and be greeted by the sunrise. I now find that I am pedaling in darkness, anxiously awaiting the sun’s arrival before I finish the morning ride. Now it’s cold & damp and tough to roll out of bed. Plus, the long sleeves and long-fingered bike gloves have been pulled out! Yet as I am having some difficulty “letting go” of summer… I thought I would share some images from my summer of sunrises as seen during my morning bike rides.

Each of the above photos is a thumbnail.
Click on the images to enlarge them and see the entire photo.
Enjoy… I know I did.