It’s seems like I made these bowls quite awhile ago… simple bowls with some colored slips on some of the exteriors. Tonight we finally get to tackle them… as I’m providing some “demo fun” for my SURFACE DECORATION class tonight.

With three art fairs over the next three weekends, I knew that I needed to really “bulk-up” the inventory in advance. So I’ve been busily working in my studio trying to make LOTS of pots! I hope I have plenty of “hybrid mugs” for the three shows. Tomorrow I gotta start prepping, pricing & packing… dividing the inventory in three… something for everyone at every show!!!

Texture patterns created using my favorite MKM Hand Rollers. @mkmpotterytools

Big CONGRATULATIONS to my friend & pottery student Martin Sorge who announced today that he’s officially writing & publishing his first cookbook! If you recall, he was also the WINNER of “The Great American Baking Show” last year… which of course we celebrated in our pottery class with a lot of yummy baked treats! Congrats again Martin… we can’t wait to see your cookbook!!!

Oh yeah… and thanks for showing off that fancy stamped cake plate! It was the “prize” I made for Martin… before we found out he had won the real “trophy” cake plate!!!

Be sure to follow Martin on Instagram… @martinsorge

Kicking off my “official” summer art fair season this weekend in Schaumburg… in a beautiful park with a pond & swans!!! Sure, there will be lots of great art & pottery too! Be sure to stop this Saturday or Sunday. Hope to see you there!!!

It’s that time for the year… and I’ve got quite a few irises blooming in my front yard. Such a great childhood throwback… especially the traditional iris scent. I just wish the blooms lasted longer. At least we get the cool “sword-like” leaves all summer long!

Last week with my SURFACE DECORATION class, we discussed a lot of glazing techniques & tried to rectify some bad habits. Then I challenged them to “play” a bit more with their glazing… and to try some new techniques on the stamped cylinders I provided for them. I was hoping that they would be more free with their glazing if it wasn’t on one of their own “precious” pots. They all took good step-by-step notes… so now we’re just anxiously waiting for them to get fired in the cone 10 glaze kiln. Fingers crossed for some fun glaze results!!!

Plenty of clouds this morning… with high hopes for some wonderful sunrise potential. However… it dabbled with some color, but the clouds won out all too soon. A flash of color early on… and then pretty much gray the rest of the day!

Getting ready for day two of our PLANTS & POTTERY SALE. If you’re in Central Illinois, swing by to see their incredible terraced gardens, hundreds of flowers, one of my totem poles… and quite possibly leave with some plants & pottery of your own! Today from 9:00am-4:00pm in Bartonville… just southwest of Peoria!

Always fun to have a fellow potter return to our PLANTS & POTTERY POP-UP SALE! I met Sadie down here last year… and this year she brought some more pottery-loving friends!!! A trifecta of stamped & soda-fired pots for the three of them!!!

An early sunrise start for an early morning roadtrip… headed down to Peoria for our PLANTS & POTTERY POP-UP SALE!!! Today & tomorrow in Bartonville… right next to Peoria! But close enough…