With a low flying band of clouds on the horizon,
this morning was a great day of sunrise transitions.

Ending with a beautifully golden splash across the sky!

So our menagerie fills the table! Luckily, all of the animals seemed to get along overnight.
Each of them ready to go home with the kids to take up residence in their new digs.
It’s always fun to see the looks on the parents’ faces when they come to pick up their kids
and suddenly see them walk out of the building carrying a huge animal! Hysterical…

Each animal cuter than the next… some more animated than others, each quite adorable!
Including a fennec fox, alligator, dachsund, great dane, sting ray, anemone, caiman, fox,
elephant and a wonderful flamingo striking a statuesque pose!

This morning was pretty hazy. With the sun rising slowly over the lake without much
excitement or fanfare! Just a large red ball rising over the horizon!

Maybe I forgot to tell the kids that we’re painting the animals… not their hands???

So today the kids were finishing up their Wild Things sculptures! The plaster gauze is dry
and they animals were really “coming to life” as they were painted with acrylic paints.

I especially LOVE when some of the sculptures take on a life of their own and get larger &
larger… and eventually cover most of the table. Who am I to tell them to to limit their project?!
Definitely not me… instead, I encourage it!!!

Once the demo bowls were detailed, I continued stamping!
And tackled the latest batch of cylinders destined to become mugs!
Now that they’re stamped, next up is trimming, then handles, then slip, then drying.

So last night was my “basic bowl” demonstration for my wheel throwing class!
We were working on making each bowl different and unique. After class, I brought them
all upstairs to my studio so that I could do a little more work on them. So today after camp,
I spent some time refining & stamping the bowl samples. It will be fun to show my students
how they’ve all been transformed seemingly “overnight.”

This first bowl has a flared out rim… plain & flat until you add some stamped fun!

This second one has the same flared rim, but with the addition of fluted curves. A simple
ring of stamps keeps the gently undulation of the rim intact without overpowering it.

This third bowl had a simple, solid layer of white slip inside. Kinda plain & boring.
But a quick textured rim makes all the difference. One stamp… again, and again, and again!

One of my students asked about a “squared-off” bowl form, so I took the split rim and
literally pulled out the corners to create a square-ish bowl. But it seemed a little predictable.
So I decided to highlight two opposing sides as a “canvas” for some fun stamping,
and changed the split rim on those same sides!

With a wider flanged rim, I originally though I was going to stamp the whole thing.
But then I thought “hey, I do that all the time.” So I forced myself to try something a
little different. Nice… but I’m not quite sure if I like it or not?

So there it is, the demo behind the demo. The “magic” that occurs in my studio after class
ends. The bowls are still wrapped overnight and waiting to be trimmed and finished. I may
actually add some more “fun” to the bowls before they done and ready for the bisque kiln.

Sometimes it’s just amazing to see what my campers can come up with some simple
art supplies. Today my “Wild Things” campers continued their animal projects by
making sculptures of their favorite animals. We started with sketches of their animals
& habitats. We then created an armature out of wire hangers, newspaper & masking tape.
Once they had “filled out” the wire frame and added some characteristic details, they
began to cover the armature with plaster gauze. Kinda like paper mache, but a lot easier,
quicker & stronger! By the end of the day their animals were coming along quite nicely.
Tomorrow we continue to add details, as well as paint them in full color to bring them to life!

I’m ready to set out for another wonderful weekend art fair in the park.
The Evanston show is always one of the most beautiful shows with a wonderful
view of the Chicago lakeshore. My booth literally backs up to the beach!
Celebrate the summer with a fun day in the park.

Lots to choose from – bowls, mugs, vases, salt & pepper shakers, and much more!
Functional stoneware can be used every day, as it’s food-safe, dishwasher-safe
and microwave-safe. You can even bake in it. Everything is handmade & one-of-a-kind.

Evanston Lakeshore Arts Festival : Booth #42
Located in Dawes Park on Sheridan Road between Church & Davis.
I’ll be in the same booth space as usual at the southeast end of the pond.
Enjoy the view, enjoy the breeze, enjoy the shade!

Saturday, August 4th : 11:00am-6:00pm
Sunday, August 5th : 11:00-6:00pm
Plenty of time to enjoy the Chicago lakefront and see a lot of beautiful art
in the park. I will be bringing a full assortment of work, both functional & decorative!
Hope to see you there!