This morning’s bike ride was simple breathtaking.
It was actually tough to ride… as I kept needing to stop off and take more pictures!
But when the sunrise is this stunning,  you don’t mind stopping so much.
So, you’re going to get a lot of today’s photos here… in three parts.

I’m firing another bisque kiln this Friday… and I don’t have enough
greenware to quite fill it. And you know how I hate an “empty” kiln.
I want it full of pots. I want it full of tiles. I want it full of fun.

So tonight in the studio I worked with some terra cotta creating low-fire “versions”
of some favorite standards. It’s a great chance to “fill” the rest of my bisque kiln
and well as finish off some new glazed work with a low-temperature single firing!
Which coincidentally is the same temperature as my stoneware bisque firing!
We’ll see if this terra cotta project pays off ?… either way, it was a fun night!

As you may have noticed… I like to bike. I like sunrises.
So part of my “morning addiction” is an invigorating bicycle ride
along the Chicago lakefront taking pictures of the sunrise along the way.
And then sharing them with family & friends. Some of the photos make it here onto the blog…
but there are many more as it’s practically a daily “addiction.” If you’d like to get on the
e-mail list of the “daily pictures” just e-mail me and let me know. You’ll get a LOT more photos
than what you see here! E-mail me at:  gary@firewhenreadypottery.com

One such daily photo “admirer” is my friend Rick Halstead…
who decided to share his poetic wordsmithing with the rest of us.

During sunshine and rain
Wind and fog.
What kind of day
It will prologue.

A striking view
For all to see.
How many viewers
Are just like me?

We see the day
In spring and fall.
Rich with color
We see them all.

Reds and blues
A tranquil mix.
What would life be
Without Gary’s pics?

After days of heat & sun…
The crisp coolness of the morning ride feels great
before the oppressive heat & humidity sets in for the day.
But without the added drama of some clouds, I decided
to throw in a statuesque tree this morning to mix things up a bit!

Who knew?…
Who knew there would be so much “busy work” being a potter?!
Who knew I would spend so much time behind my computer?!
I’ve been working all night re-typing & re-organizing my mail lists yet again.
Trying to keep everything up-to-date. Trying to keep everything current.
Trying to add all of the names from the new customers I’ve met this summer.
Updating the mail list I use for mailing traditional postcards.
Updating the mail list I use for e-mail announcements.
I’ve been typing all night – and I’m not even close to being done.
Who knew it would be so much work just trying to stay up-to-date?!

For the past week, Chicago has been “transformed” with some movie magic
going on right in the heart of downtown. With streets closed all over the city,
there have been major car crashes, explosions and people falling out of buildings
all for the making of the next “Transformers” movie sequel. Changing the landscape
of Michigan Avenue – and transforming it into the “Smash-nificent Mile.
Quite a sight to see… especially if you weren’t aware of what was going on?!

Yesterday I decided to take a little road trip and get out of the city.
And what better place than Sheboygan, Wisconsin – joust a couple hours north
of Chicago right along the lakeshore. And even better, this weekend is also the
Kohler Festival of the Arts. A nice art fair sponsored by and surrounding the
Kohler Art Museum. My friend Sarah Chapman was one of the artists, so I decided
to drive up and surprise her with a visit and a little assistance as she was doing
the weekend show all by herself! Of course, I brought Twizzlers!

Other “art fair friends” also showing at the Kohler Art Fair…
Molly Bitters : jeweler combining leather & metal
The Pottery Boys : glazed & crystal-glazed functional pottery
Glynnis Lessing : sgraffito-carved porcelain ceramics
Michael Schael : wood-fired functional pottery
And a new favorite… Susan Richter-O’Connell : metalsmith with river rocks!
…of which I know own one of her boxed-stone necklaces!

As the art fair is held at the Kohler Art Museum – of course you have to see that too.
Especially the bathrooms!!! Voted the “Best Bathrooms in America in 2004″… and
quite the spectacle they are. Keep in mind it’s Kohler… maker of fine faucets & sinks
known worldwide!!! But you’ll never find THESE sinks at Home Depot!

Even the toilets and urinals were all decked out. It actually felt a little strange
to “use” the piece of art?! Talk about “target practice”…

As the day was quite hot yesterday, and the beach was so close… I had to skip out from
the art fair and go play on the beach. Sorry Sarah… it had to be done! I was surprised
how close the beach was, and even more, how empty the beach was?! If that lakefront
beach area were in Chicago it would have been jam-packed with people!!!

It felt great to kick off the shoes, stroll on the beach, dip my toes in the cold water…
and actually take a nap on the beach! What a great way to spend a lazy Saturday…
art fair, friends AND beach time!!!

I was intrigued at the beach by all of the seashells that have been pulverized into a
wild mixture of shells, half-shells and powder. All crashing together and separating
as they retreat back into the lake on each wave. There were sections where there were
so many, that you could actually hear the tinkling sounds of the shells hitting each other.

Once the art fair concluded, I “convinced” Sarah to pack up and come join me on the beach.
Let’s just say, it didn’t take a lot of prodding. So she came down to the beach and did some
wadding in the waves to refresh her aching art fair feet. Then we went for pizza at a nice
wood-fired pizza place. Then she went back to crash at her hotel as I headed home.
Quite satisfied with my day at the Sheboygan beach… and the Kohler art fair!
Thanks for playing Sarah!!!

Some may call it broken, destroyed, eroded, or even falling apart…

But there’s this great section of the North Avenue Beach breakwater that has a lot
of exposed rebar sticking out of the cement pier. A little unexpected rebar art.
And you know how I love rusty metal!!!… and a sunrise too?… perfect.

Another beautiful sunrise this morning… with the benefit of a LOT less humidity!
The past couple days have been incredibly hot & humid – kinda stuffy.

All of the wall pocket vases were stamped a few days ago.
Some of the wall pocket vases have been accented with slip in the stamps.
Some of the wall pocket vases were decorated & covered with flashing slips.
All of the wall pockets are now drying.
The ones with slip all over them may take a little longer?!

But don’t you love how the clay changes color and dries at different rates?!
Some sections getting lighter, some sections still wet and a bit darker.
The clay actually looks a little “dirty” as it’s drying… ironic, huh?

So they’re done for now.
I can let them sit and dry for a few more days… until they’re all chalky, light & dry.
Then it’s time to bisque, glaze and fire again!