After two days of playing with clay, today we moved over to the Metals Department for the kids to start making their forks, knives & spoons! And my metals co-teachers are much more in their element now! Pam did a great job of teaching the kids how to work safely with the tools to form their thematic cutlery pieces.

Draw them out, cut them out, file, sand, texture, etc… a lot of banging & pounding!!!

While in the Metals Department, we also like to have a “contest” to see who breaks the fewest saw blades. We find that a little friendly competition makes them think a little bit more as they’ve working. Break the fewest saw blades and win the Metals Prize made by Pam!!!

The kids have been working hard building all of their terra cotta dinnerware pieces. Plates, bowls, platters, cups, handles, vases, etc. They’ve been having a great time, but deadlines are deadlines… and EVERYTHING needed to be built, done & painted with colored glaze by the end of camp. For tonight, everything goes into the kiln!

Here’s Pam looking not quite so confident or comfortable with her glazing skills?!

And Michelle painting her tiny watermelon… and her larger watermelon cup!

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Celebrating MUGSHOT MONDAY with another stamped & soda-fired mug with some nice flashing & orange peel effects.

Freshly stamped mugs drying in the studio. Getting ready for the Evanston Lakeshore Fine Arts Festival on August 6th & 7th. Got a couple firings to squeeze in before then!!!

Proof that sometimes metalsmiths DO indeed venture over to the “dirty side” of the building to touch some clay! Pam & Michelle got to play in the mud with the rest of the kids. It’s a “shame” they didn’t have any fun?!!!

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The kids were busy working in clay making their thematic dinnerware placesetting for FIRE, FORGE & FEAST Summer Camp. Lots of fun, lots of terra cotta, lots of dirty hands!!! It’s gonna be a busy week!!!

And one “special plate”… also in the works…

So for now they can dry… for tomorrow we will glaze them with Teacher’s Choice colors.
A quick single-fire so they can be done by Friday morning. We need a fast turn-around.

I know it was crazy hot & humid in Chicago this weekend…
but good god man, this is ridiculous!!! The posted temp this morning!!!

Big sky show this morning… spanning across the sky and into the Skyline!

Dramatic skies and high contrast reflections as huge clouds blew across the City this morning. A beautiful ride as some of the weekend’s heat & humidity seems to be leaving Chicago… maybe?!… hopefully?!!… alledgedly?!!!

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