Well, it’s official… My Summer Art Fair Schedule kicks-off in two weeks!
It’s always been so far “off on the horizon” and now it’s just around the corner!
And I’ve been busy in the studio making lots of pots and other fun things.
So mark your calendar for my show schedule – and I hope to see you a couple times
over the summer. And keep your fingers crossed for good weather!

Schaumburg Prairie Fine Arts Festival
Saturday, May 28th, 2011 – 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday, May 29th, 2011 – 10:00am-5:00pm
Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center
201 Schaumburg Court in Schaumburg, Illinois

Hinsdale Fine Arts Festival
Saturday, June 11th, 2011 – 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday, June 12th, 2011 – 10:00am-5:00pm
Burlington Park on Chicago Avenue between Washington & Garfield Streets
in Hinsdale, Illinois

Evanston Lakeshore Fine Arts Festival
Saturday, August 6th, 2011 – 11:00am-6:00pm
Sunday, August 7th, 2011 – 11:00am-6:00pm
Located in Dawes Park along beautiful Lake Michigan
on Sheridan Road between Church & Davis in Evanston, Illinois

Art In The Barn
Saturday, September 24th, 2011 – 10:00am-5:00pm
Sunday, September 25th, 2011 – 10:00am-5:00pm
Located on the grounds (and in the barns) of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
on Route 22 in Barrington, Illinois

“My Home For The Holidays” Home Show
Saturday, November 19th, 2011 – 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday, November 20th, 2011 – 10:00am-6:00pm
Contact me for invitations & more information…

Registration is currently open for the Early Summer & Summer Sessions.
Confusing, huh? Well, let me explain it quickly for you. We’re currently in the Spring
session. Then, we have a 4-week session during June. Followed by an 8-week session
in July & August. Sign up now… in person, by phone or online at www.lillstreet.com.

And just a quick FYI… my classes will typically fill up quickly. Don’t put it off too long
and then find you can’t get in. Join the fun… sign up today!

Early Summer: Surface Decoration for Advanced Beginners
Take a four-week creative adventure to add style, design, and personalization to your
basic pots and transform them into one-of-a-kind masterpieces.  The assumption is
that you have basic throwing skills, so the focus each week is on different decorative
techniques, including stamping and springs, slip painting and sgraffito, as well as
altering, carving and making attachments and handles.
June 7th-June 28th – 4-weeks – Tuesday Nights from 7:00pm-10:00pm

Summer Session: Beginning & Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing
Explore the mystery of the potter’s wheel as you develop the fundamental techniques
of throwing a pot. Learn to center, throw, and trim a variety of functional forms
including cups, bowls, and plates.  Returning students will continue to refine techniques
and create more complex forms. And I’m always up for a challenge!
July 12th- August 30th – 8-weeks – Tuesday Nights from 7:00pm-10:00pm

But then… when I got downtown, part of it was gone!
There was this wonderful morning fog rolling in off the lake
making part of the skyline disappear! Very cool.

The sunrise this morning was the best we’ve had in weeks.
I’m hoping that Spring is finally here… no more freezing mornings!
It was actually warm enough to take off the tights today!
Let’s hope it stays that way…

So Tuesday night’s class was supposed to be “throwing taller”… everyone’s nemesis.
But with the Bulls game… and the Cubs game… and the beautiful evening weather,
attendance was a little low – understandably! So we decided to put off that demo
until next week. And instead, we went with one of my favorites – “Demo On Demand.”
Basically it’s an open night for students to get whatever demo they need… whatever
they missed, whatever they didn’t quite get, whatever they want to see again. So we did
a few different demos… and ended with another demo on how to make ovals for those
who had missed that demo. Plus, we went one step further… and decided that an “oval”
doesn’t always mean that it needs to be a “plain” oval. And after a little post-class-finishing,
this oval pot is now ready to start drying.

And here’s a new favorite… a simple split rim with tight pinches back together
to give it this sort of “quilted” quality! But not on the “side points” sticking out.
I decided to go with the contrast to help define those areas. And then we’ll need to
come up with a similar glazing solution to help accentuate that design choice as well.

So part of the fun of this weekend is seeing a lot of great pots…
or meeting the artists… being inspired by their talent… their attitude… the pots!
But another great part is being able to buy these great pots by these great potters
and adding them to my already overflowing pottery collection. It’s tough to choose
and limit myself while I’m there. It’s so easy to be swept up in the moment. So easy
to pick up every pot and yearn to take them all home. But I resisted that urge… kinda.

Matthew Metz plate… added to my large Matt Metz collection of mugs, jars & tumblers.

Dinner plates by Jo Severson… because food always tastes better off a real ceramic plate!

An adorable oval vase by Suze Lindsay… love the combination of texture, pattern & design.

A wonderful carved bowl by Ellen Shankin… love the color, and how the glaze pools.

Delores Fortuna finally made it into my “mug collection.”

As did my “new favorite” Ryan Greenheck – whose work is sheer perfection.
Not only is his surface decoration & glazing incredible, but his pieces are so well thrown,
trimmed and he’s paid attention to every detail – even the bottoms!

An I was excited to add Ryan Greenheck to the “mug collection” as well.

Plus… we love supporting potters of all levels… so it’s always a pleasure to stop in a shop
with The Rogue Potters who hang their shingle on the roadside hoping to grab a few shoppers
from the “real tour” to share their wares along the way.

So I added a beautiful, wood-fired shallow bowl by Randal Anderson to my collection…

Breakfast  ———-
After two days of fun, we were undecided on what to do today. Except for
breakfast… where I corrupted Amy with peanut butter & syrup on her waffle!

One Final Pottery Stop ———-
We had original planned on hiking all day. But then felt somehow obligated
to do another pottery stop! So it was back to Bob Briscoe’s for one last time!
And it was great… so much more relaxed than the days before. A slower start
in the morning with fewer people – and a LOT fewer pots on the shelves. In fact,
several of the shelves had disappeared and the remaining work condensed down.

Bob Briscoe & Suze Lindsay ———-
We had a great opportunity to chat with Suze & Bob for almost an hour.
We talked about the tour, how it has changed, all the work involved, as well as
what Amy & I are doing in clay. They’re both familiar with Lillstreet Art Center,
so they know some of the same people. It was refreshing & inspiring to talk with
these two who have so much experience & knowledge to share. And they did.
Thank You Bob. Thank You Suze.

The Interstate State Park  ———-
So we finally got to the hike we had planned on. A little later than expected.
But still exciting to get outside and enjoy the nice weather & beautiful scenery.

The Drive Home ———-
So I guess it only makes sense that at some point I had to face the long drive home.
After our hike, we said our goodbyes and head of fin our own cars. The drive was a lot
easier during the daytime hours… but not so much fun through the construction zones
where it went down to one lane!

By the time I finally got home… I was relieved.
And yet so inspired after a great weekend full of pottery, friends & camaraderie!
Special thanks to Bob Briscoe for spearheading the event and keeping it growing.

Bob: If you ever need a new potter for the Tour… I’m available!

Overnight ———-
I slept great. Much better than driving over night.
So I awoke refreshed and ready to go… sadly, Amy didn’t sleep so good?!
Maybe the handmade waffles in the hotel lobby would help?!

Continental Clay ———-
So we head off towards the Twin Cities to pick up some new clay & supplies.
With hundreds of pounds of clay in Amy’s car, we head back to the hotel to drop
it off, switch cars and head off to the two studios we missed yesterday.

Linda Christianson’s Studio ———-
Guests: Dan Anderson, Lisa Buck, Scott Goldberg, Randy Johnston,
Jan McKeachie and Kristin Pavelka.
After we switch cars, we were back on track and headed off the last two stops on our tour.
To get to Linda Christianson‘s you need to take the unpaved, dirt roads to her place.
Then it’s a hike down the hill to her studio & kiln shed. The the yard is filled with tables & pots!
While I appreciate the work, I kind of felt that after awhile there was just too many brown pots.

Not that that’s a bad thing. But there wasn’t a lot of variation – except for Kristin Pavelka
who definitely stood out with her pastel colors! And sense of whimsy!

On the way out of Linda’s studio, we did have a beautiful stand of trees…
and a perfectly blue sky behind it for contrast.

Jeff Oestreich’s Studio ———-
Guests: Andy Balmer, Pat Burns and Ryan Greenheck.
I’ve been to Jeff Oestreich’s studio before – and already have a couple of his mugs!
And each time, I’m amazed and in awe of his studio… and the incredible picture windows
that overlook the Minnesota prairie. How do I get one of these?!

So this time, I was excited to see the beautiful pots by Ryan Greenheck.
And his perfect porcelain!!! Every detail has been attended to.
Throwing. Surface Decoration. Glazing. Beautiful.

And yes… a couple of his perfect porcelain pieces did come home with me!

The Rogue Potters  ———-
We met them last year… and hoped that they would be there again this year!
All it took was a few handmade signs on the side of the freeway and we were drawn in.
To a small farmhouse that surely has seen better days. But the attitude & enthusiasm is
infectious. You can tel that they are doing something they love. And the best part…
their name is all our doing! When we met them last year, I took some pictures, bought
a couple pieces and wrote a blog post about them. In my blog, I referred to them as
“The Merry Band of Rogue Potters.” At some point, one of the guys did a Google search
and found his work on my website. So he left a comment, and I responded.
And now they refer to themselves as “Rogue Potters.” Thanks to my blog!

Lunch And A Root Beer Float ———-
On our way through Taylor’s Falls, we stopped off for a quick bite at a very cute diner!
And who could resist the corn dogs, cheese curds and root beer float?! Not me!!!

A Return Visit to Guillermo’s ———-
With a 50-pound box of porcelain in tow, we went back to Guillermo’s place to deliver
the clay to Roberta. Of course, we had to chat with Delores & Roberta again, and do a
little more “window” shopping. It was amazing to me how most of Delores’ pieces
were already gone! Apparently people could find them in the mish-mash of pots?!

A Return Visit to Will’s ———-
We had some extra time still, so we decided to stop in again to see Laurie Shaman.
And while we were there, I took a little more time to look at the pots by Sam Taylor.

A Return Visit to Richard’s ———
With another hour before the Tour officially ended for the day, we made one last stop
to see Steven Hill again. The “traffic” had died down a bit towards the end of the day
so Steven was able to chat with us for awhile. It was great to see him looking better,
happier, and in a good place again. He’s had a tough go of it recently, but now seems
to be back on track.

A Return to Don Julio’s ———-
Time for dinner.. and we didn’t know where to go… so we went back for more guacamole!
Then an early night – with some photo downloading. But when I got a little overwhelmed
by the huge number of photos to deal with… we went to Dairy Queen instead!!!
Another great day of clay fun… both wet in the box, and fired in my shopping bags!

The Drive  ———-
So I’m sure it comes as no surprise to those who really know me, that I felt it necessary
to be there for the very start of the Pottery Tour right at 10:00am on Friday morning.
You know, otherwise you might miss the good stuff? Right? So I foolishly decided to hop
in the car at 2:00am Friday morning and drove straight through to Minneapolis. Yes…
it was a long arduous drive. And I got there at about 9:30am. Just enough time for a
quick 10-minute nap in Bob Briscoe’s driveway. And I got to see the sunrise of sorts…

The St. Croix River Valley Pottery Tour  ———-
As I’ve mentioned before, this weekend tour is my annual favorite. All of the best potters
all in one place… err, seven places. Yes, seven open studios of seven of the best potters.
And if that weren’t enough, each of them invite several of their talented friends to join
them for the weekend. So it totals out at 46 pottery “rock stars” all in one weekend tour.
For more information, check their website – www.minnesotapotters.com

Bob Briscoe’s Studio  ———-
Guests: Mary Barringer, Richard Hensley, Suze Lindsay, Kent McLaughlin,
Matthew Metz, Donna Polseno, Jo Severson and Jason Trebs.
Always the first stop… I was thrilled to see so many pots, the large tents and the excitement
just beginning! I could feel the shopping frenzy kicking in. And I had to get started quick.
Before all “the good stuff” was already taken!!!

First up, I was straight of to Matt Metz – one of my favorites! And I knew that I had
to add another piece to my collection. Hard to choose… as everything was incredible!

Next it was Suze Lindsay, who does great brushwork on her atmospheric fired pieces.
Beautiful surfaces, slips, textures and glazes… all with a sense of whimsy & fun.

Moving on it was Kent McLaughlin, Jo Severson, and a few others… including a new face
in the crowd, at least for me… Donna Polseno. Her work has a peaceful & serene effect
with soft illustrations, satiny glazes and an occasional bird here & there for fun.

Last but not at all least, it was studio host Bob Briscoe. Not only is his studio beautiful
with the pond in the back… but his pots are great as well. Very practical pots with an
emphasis on ash glazes for a textural finish. I’ve had a set of his bowl-plates which I LOVE
and use all the time. The perfect bowl for my favorite carry-out Thai food.

The Murphy-Bicking Baby Debut ———-
While we were shopping at the very first stop, our friend & fellow potter Emily Murphy
stopped by with husband Ian and newborn baby Ada Sky. The little girl is just a month old
and was already stealing the show!

Richard Vincent’s Studio ———-
Guests:  Sandra Byers, Winthrop Byers, Bill Gossman, Steven Hill and George Lowe.
Our second stop was the closest to Bob Briscoe’s place. With the same artists as last year,
including my friend & potter Steven Hill. If you’re looking for voluptuous, porcelain pieces
with incredible mixes of glazes… then Steven’s your guy. His pots are beautiful, and it was
great fun to see him and get all caught up after his move from Sandwich, IL back to Missouri.

Steven Hill on “The Square” ———-
So technology has hit the pottery world. And if Steven Hill can jump on the bandwagon,
I may need to as well. There’s this great little gadget called “The Square” that can attach
to your iPhone – and with the help of an App, you can swipe and process credit cards
right there on the spot. I think I need to check into that before my Summer Art Fair
Season begins in a couple weeks?! Seems like all the cool kids are doing it…

Will Swanson’s Studio ———-
Guests: Silvie Granatelli, Ellen Shankin, Laurie Shaman, Mark Shapiro & Sam Taylor.
Following the route, we made it to our third stop with some more great potters!
Especially favorites Ellen Shankin and Silvie Granatelli. Both of them have been making
incredible pots for some time now, and each of them are already represented in my
Mug Collection. So here are two samples, Ellen Shankin followed by Silvie Granatelli…

Also at Will Swanson’s was former Lillstreet Gallery Director Laurie Shaman. Her work
has a beautiful illustrative quality, kind of like beautiful watercolor paintings on porcelain.
Lots of portraits, birds, architectural buildings and more. Beautiful brush strokes on clay.

Lunch at the Scenic Overlook ———-
The weather was beautiful… and so it was time for a picnic. Luckily, Amy had packed
a lunch for the both of us. So it was a quick break from the tour, relaxing in the sun
and enjoying the view. As the clouds were gently rolling by… sun shining down…
and my Dove Dark Chocolate Promise had the perfect message inside!

Connee Mayeron’s Studio ———-
Guests: Curtis Hoard, Gail Kendall, Jenny Mendes, Mark Pharis,
Liz Quackenbush and Shoko Teruyama.
Tops on Amy’s list this year were Shoko Teruyama & Jenny Mendes – both of which
were guest artists at Connee’s. Going in, I could tell that Amy was not going to leave until
she had something to show for it. First was Shoko, who has had recent acclaim in the big
ceramics magazines. Her style is kind of over-the-top, lots of patterns, layers, colors, and
imagery that you can’t quite figure out… and yes, this one went home with Amy!!!

And here’s Amy capturing a photo of “the bowl the got away. She was torn between
the bowl and the larger, more impressive platter! Luckily… she went for the platter!
At least she has the picture for her memories, her blog… and her Facebook!!!

Jenny Mendes is another artist who does incredible illustration on her ceramic works.
Layers of colors and incredibly detailed line drawings. Lots of crazy… you gotta love it!

Art In The Yard ———-
While Amy was enamored with all of the outrageous illustration work… I was more enamored
by the rusty metal & rock sculptures littered through the yard. Now you know I have a special
affinity for rusty metal… but now on a large scale, with large rocks and wit?! C’mon…

It All Matters ———-
In the parking lot at Connee Mayeron’s was a great, orange message…

Guillermo Cuellar’s Studio  ———-
Guests: Dick Cooter, Delores Fortuna, Simon Levin, Jim Lorio, Mike Norman and Steve Rolf.
Perched atop of steep hill, Guillermo’s place overlooks the valley. And yes, we walked up
the wrong driveway when we got there… only to find out that there were no potters there?!
So we had to walk back down the steep driveway, down the street and back up another steep
driveway to Guillermo’s studio. Whoops. At least it was worth the walk. Lots of great pots
all over the yard surrounding his place.

Simon Levin is one of my favorites with beautiful forms, textures and wood-fired
blushing. But after looking around the place, it was great to run into Delores Fortuna
who I’ve known for a few years now. Her work is beautiful. Structural, slightly altered
pieces with great glaze combinations… and a bit of wire work here & there. Unfortunately,
it was a little tough to see Simon & Delores work clearly, as the pots were all scattered
amongst the other artists at this studio location. I prefer when each artist has a clear
designated place to show off their body of work. Easier to shop. Easier to admire.
Less hassle trying to find & compare the pieces you want to buy!

Dinner ———-
Without knowing the area, we followed the suggestion of the hotel clerk
and found a fine Mexican restaurant with really great guacamole!!! Lots of cilantro!

Back to Bob Briscoe’s for the Party!!! ———-
This was the first year that we actually decided to go to the “after-party” at Bob Briscoe’s.
It was fun to have some time to chat with the artists – and see the tents of pottery at night
under a different light. We had more time to chat with Laurie Shaman, Delores Fortuna
and her “worker” Roberta Polfus – who I’ve known for years… and Amy has too!
Roberta makes these incredible porcelain pieces… click here to check it out!

The End of The Day ———
So we dragged our scrappy tails back to the hotel… more than ready for a good night’s
sleep. Remember, I’ve been running on adrenaline & sugar all day after driving overnight!
But it was all well worth it… and we still have more clay fun planed for tomorrow!!!