Last night in my wheelthrowing class we worked on “throwing with intention.” Deciding what shape you want and then actually making it… instead of letting the wheel “decide” for you. But there was a small twist… my students each drew three little sketches out of a jar and had to throw those shapes. Trying to match the shape and the geometry of the drawing as close as possible. A great challenge for potters of all levels… always fun to practice the basic skills!

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Yesterday was pretty gloomy… yet surprisingly warm again for the middle of February. It wasn’t until I got to Lillstreet that I finally got treated to a beautiful sky show. Another amazing sunrise from atop Lillstreet just before class started last night.

So my new “cookie hook-up” came through this weekend.
And I now have more Thin Mints than I probably need?!
As well as the new Girl Scout S’Mores Cookies… which are pretty darn tasty.

I hope that my students “appreciate” that I am willing to share my stash
with them in class tonight!!!

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Monochromatic in gray. Kinda like the day so far.

Registration for the Spring Session at Lillstreet Art Center has just opened.
I will once again be teaching my Tuesday night Beginning & Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing class. But NEW this Spring, I will also be teaching a Simply Soda class on Monday nights! An beginner’s introduction to the atmospheric soda firing process!!! Sign-up quickly, as hopefully both classes will fill fast!!!

Click here for the Lillstreet Art Center website to register today!!!
The new 10-week session of classes begin March 27th, 2017.

SIMPLY SODA – Mondays 7:00-10:00pm
BEGINNING & ADVANCED BEGINNING WHEELTHROWING – Tuesdays 7:00-10:0pm

Happy Monday. Happy Mugshot.
Another stamped & soda-fired porcelain mug in the mix.

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Later this morning, the sun tried its best to break through.
Finally making it happen with a wonderful train bridge silhouette for an urban sunrise.

More clouds this morning, but still surprisingly warm.
Good color, but a few too many clouds for the sun to quite peek through.

And then the amazing color sky show ended… and we were plunged back into clouds.
Making the northern tip of Belmont Harbor look especially cold… but it wasn’t.

And a slightly still fogged-in Chicago skyline…

Another batch of mugs in the making. More B-Clay thrown yesterday, underwraps over night and ready for stamping today. They were all on the “wetter-side” of leatherheard… but no longer sticky, squishy or shiny. So today I did some stamping… and here are the photos to show for it… and the stamp that did most of the work on each mug!!!

Mug A

Mug B

Mug C

Mug D

Mug E

Mug F

Mug G

Mug H

Mug I

Mug J

Mug K

Mug L – okay, so I did so good at taking all of the photos… until this one…
when I somehow forgot to take the photo of the PLAIN cylinder before stamping…
but you get it, right?!

So now they are underwraps again for the evening.
For tomorrow… they each get a trimmed foot & a freshly pulled handle!!!!

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Big sky. Big color. Big fun!!!