Here’s my February entry in the 2021 Chain Challenge set-up by my talented metalsmith friend Sarah Chapman. Sure, it may not be traditional “links” like a metalsmith’s chain might be… but I think this still works! It’s a 36″ necklace chain of soda-fired beads, turquoise rondelles & copper wire.

It’s the last day of February… so I’ve got to finish my February Chain Challenge piece quickly! You know I “appreciate” a good deadline!!! Sure. I’ve had a month to get this done… but why not start it today?!!!

The sun finally came out for a brief moment this afternoon… and backlit this orchid just perfect to make the new blooms really shine!

While today may be gray, yesterday was a great day to PLAY!!! After a full day in the studio, I got to sneak out yesterday for a great, late afternoon ride along the lakefront. Lots of melting snow, lots of puddles & lots of wet-grime flicking up on my back!!!

Didn’t care… too much fun pedaling!!!

Four simple letters than can totally make your day!

POTTERY FLASHBACK! So my good friends wanted to get their granddaughter some new pottery. Apparently, Sarah has been “complaining” that everyone else in the family has “nice Gary pottery” and all she got stuck with was “The Ugly Mug”!!! It was this stamped amber mug that Sarah had at home… while everyone else thought it was a different “ugly” mug?!!!

Turns out a different family member had the original “Ugly Mug”… from early on in my pottery career even before stamping!!!

Either way, “ugly” or not… Sarah ended up with some new bright blue pottery to add to her collection thanks to Rosene & Gerry. Hopefully overshadowing & wiping away the memory of Sarah’s original “ugly” pottery!!!

Loving the classic architectural details of Piper Hall at Loyola University along the lakefront… especially while dappled by the morning sun!

Architectural details highlighted by the morning sun.

Not a cloud in the sky. Just a hazy start to the morning… with some treacherous sidewalks along the way! With some overnight rain & morning fog, there were random patches of ice all along the way… slip-sliding away!!! Made me giggle as I had to catch my balance more than once!

So we did the same crackled slip demo in class… this time using the same black slip with sodium silicate over my newly green-colored porcelain. Not quite sure how I feel about this one. Kinda channeling Elphaba or some swamp creature… but who knows… we might still learn to love this, right?!