Okay, I’ve said for years that I “only know enough metalsmithing to be dangerous.” Even with that in mind… I can’t comprehend how ANY of this is coming together?! Darlys Ewoldt makes these crazy-cool metal sculptures all fabricated by hand. Looks like this one will be making its way to “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS” this weekend… after this patina process is done giving it beautiful color & surface finishes. Can’t wait to see it this weekend in Evanston!!!

Okay, so the “sugar cubes” are gone… and I’m still intrigued by Robin’s progess on her collaboration pieces for “4×4”. Looks I might need to wait until next weekend along with everyone else to see how this all comes together. I have a few ideas… only because I’ve been working on my own pieces with the same theme. But my pieces don’t look anything like this?! …ha!!!

Looks like Robin Kittleson is still working on her fused glass pieces for “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS.” I know it’s part of the collaboration project we’re all working on… but I’m not quite sure what’s going on here?… looks like sugar cubes to me?!

In case I haven’t mentioned it lately… ha!… this coming weekend is our “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS” gallery pop-up exhibition & sale in Evanston! I will be hanging around with three of My Talented Friends… metalsmith Sarah Chapman, metal sculptor Darlys Ewoldt & glass artist Robin Kittleson. We’ve all been working on some new work for this show… including a special collaborative piece that should be something to see when it all comes together!

4×4 : FOUR MAKERS
Space 900 Gallery – 816 Dempster Street, Evanston, IL 60202

Friday, March 3rd – 2:00pm-8:00pm
Saturday, March 4th – 10:00am-8:30pm
Sunday, March 5th – 12:00pm-4:00pm

And then when they were done making their doughnuts… and thought they were done… they then found out that they needed to make a box to “keep it fresh.” A little twist that my GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN students hadn’t quite anticipated. So if they made a larger doughnut, they now needed a much larger box!!! A fun little handbuilding challenge to finish off the night.

This week, during my GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN class, my students started the class with some “sweet inspiration”… DOUGHNUTS!!!

Only after they had eaten their sweet treat did they find out it was also their inspiration for the night’s challenge! Yep… they were challenged to make the most realistic doughnuts possible…twice as large as normal! Always fun to see how they each tackle a project they’ve never done before!

Okay, so Darlys is apparently the over-achiever of the group… and is already showing-off her pieces for “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS”... while the other three of us are still scrambling to get our pieces pulled together!!! Stop by “4×4” next weekend in Evanston to see how they all come together! Now back to work…

So while the soda kiln is cooling all day today, there are PLENTY of “other projects” going on to fill my day today! I can’t believe that our “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS” pop-up show is now just a few days away! And I still have SO much to do…

Towards the end of yesterday’s LILLSTREET 3-DAY SODA-FIRING WORKSHOP, my students got the chance to load the soda mixture into the kiln. When the kiln gets up to cone 8, it’s time to mix it up and then start scooping & inserting the mixture into the kiln. I like to use a long angle iron to fill with the mixture – and then slide it into the kiln, dump it into the fire box, and then watch the flames shoot out!!! It’s a lot of work, but all part of the soda-firing process. I think they all enjoyed the experience. So now after several rounds of adding soda, the kiln has been turned off and it cooling all day today! They’ll return tomorrow night to open & unload the kiln… do some kiln cleaning & shelf maintenance… and then we’ll all get to look at their new soda-fired masterpieces!!!

Towards the end of the firing yesterday, the soda kiln is creeping into the cone 7-8-9 range… and the kiln is in full reduction at that point. Always exciting to see the flames shooting out everywhere!