There we go… the last Mummy has just left the building.
And it looks like he’s going to a very happy home!!!

One of the nice things about “Art In The Barn” is that they set a great Fall atmosphere. Bales of hay. Potted mums. Pumpkins. Gourds… and more! Just a quick glance at the mums around us… and a mum visitor!

And oh, but wait there’s more… these are the LAST FOUR mummies!!!
The new Monster was apparently a big hit. Hurry over to snag yours before they’re gone!

The sun is shining and the shelves are restocked.
Lots of great art & many of “My Talented Friends” all around.
Bring on the customers! Bring on the fun!!!

All set and ready to go early Saturday morning. Of course, there was a little bit of scrambling going on… last minute pricing, ornament wiring, getting ready. Wouldn’t be an art fair without some scrambling, right?! Anyway, the art fair began and the weather was incredible. So much fun seeing so many of my loyal customers, making new friends, chatting with a lot of “My Talented Friends” and selling a bunch of pottery along the way!!! And with my double-booth, there was a LOT of pottery to go around.

Once again I was pleased to receive this ribbon – TOP TEN SELLER 2012.
It’s always nice to know that you’re in the Top Ten… which also then gets you a double booth!
I must admit that it is my favorite ribbon to receive. A prize for selling my work!!!

And even better, an exciting ribbon to receive – BEST OF CERAMICS 2013.
Another ribbon to add to my collection. Very exciting.

For the record, “Art In The Barn” is a fundraising event for the hospital. I’m not sure that all of the art fair visitors are aware of that. So I’ve made some signs that help clear it up. I think it’s important that customers know that a portion of their money is going to the hospital… while only 80% goes to the artist. In this case… Me.

You gotta love a Friday art fair set-up!
It takes so much time to pack everything up, shlepp it to the fair location and then set everything up. If it’s a Saturday morning set-up you’re always rushing to be ready in time. You’re exhausted before the show even begins! Luckily, “Art In The Barn” offers a Friday afternoon set-up. Which we eagerly take advantage of. So today we packed up my parents van… and by “we” I really mean my Dad. He prides himself in packing every inch of the van!!!

So there’s his van packed and ready to go… but, just for the record… my RAV4 was packed to the brim as well. A double-booth at “Art In The Barn” requires twice as much shelving & twice as much pottery. So we packed… and packed… and packed…

They’ve been under wraps for quite awhile now. A new Monster in the mix!
But tonight they finally came out of the the final glaze firing. Yeah!!!
So now these little Monsters are wrapped up, and then wrapped up again in packing materials, and getting ready for their journey to “Art In The Barn” this weekend. This year’s addition to “The Ghouls Collection.” The Mummy.

And he’s got friends… there are more than a dozen of these Mummies… but not two dozen.
Quantities are limited. And once they’re gone, they’re gone! These and the other Monsters – Pumpkins, Skulls, Frankensteins & Vampires!!! And like most “collectibles”… some of these may be “RETIRED” soon! Get ’em quick!!!

Here’s a small sampling of the mugs that will be coming with me to “Art In The Barn.”
I know I’m no good at posting pictures of my finished work… instead, you always see work in progress in my studio. That’s because as soon as the kiln gets unloaded it goes right into a crate. Then it’s priced & packed back into another crate and it’s off to an art fair. I need to build in some time to shoot more pictures of finished pieces to share here. Maybe that’s a good New Year’s Resolution for me?!

Anyway, here’s a dozen mugs that will be up for grabs this weekend in Barrington at
“Art In The Barn.” Yep.. these and a LOT more!!!
Remember, it’s a double booth of pottery fun!!! Lower Barn E4 & E6.

Nothing says “time to go to bed” better than a dining room full of freshly stained & varnished wood. More varnish layers tomorrow, then some tiles adhered Friday… and we’ll have some new ClayQuilts for this weekend’s art fair! Right down to the wire… and maybe some vivid dreams tonight from the fumes?!

Just a few days away… ART IN THE BARN.
My favorite art fair to kick-off the Fall season! With plenty of pottery headed out to Barrington, we will once again be setting up our double-booth in the Lower Barn E4 & E6 on the grounds of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital. And just to clarify… a double-booth means at least twice as much pottery as my “in a tent” Summer art fairs!!!

Saturday, September 28th & Sunday, September 29th, 2013
10:00am-5:00pm each day
Located on the grounds of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
on Route 22 about two miles west of Route 59. The really cool part is that this is also the original farm grounds for Quaker Oats. So all of the original barns, silos, corn cribs, machine sheds and everything else are still there… and for one weekend FILLED WITH ART!!!

Regardless of the weather, ART IN THE BARN is always fun.
My booth is inside the Lower Barn so we’re protected from the elements… yet open on one side for plenty of natural light.

And if you look closely… that’s my photographer friend Brad Pogatetz standing there under the big F. My booth just barely falls off the left side of the photo. There’s a LOT of pottery just to the left of that large photo on the easel. I think this photo was from the year that I met Brad and fell in LOVE with his incredible photos of rusty-crusty buildings & natural elements all combined in fantastic imagery! Check out the link to his website in the right side column of LINKS… or just click here!