It’s Barrington Day Two… it’s already sunnier, already warmer, already less windy…
and my shelves are all replenished and ready for another fun day in the Lower Barn!
C’mon out to play – we’re here from 10:00am-5:00pm again today!

In the booth across, and a little kitty-corner, from my booth was Robin Kittleson.
She’s a glass artist from Geneva, Illinois… who coincidentally also teaches at
Lillstreet Art Center. Robin makes these incredible fused glass platters, bowls and more!
I was especially taken by this square platter as the sun hit it at just the right time…
illuminating it so I could see it shining all the way from my booth!
Stunning colors, layers & patterns. Beautiful work.

For more about Robin Kittleson’s work, click on her website – http://www.robinkittleson.com

Well, after a leisurely set-up yesterday, my booth was all ready to go this morning for Day One
of “Art In The Barn.” You gotta love a good Friday set-up. It takes all of the rush & pressure
out of doing all on Saturday before the show opens. The shelves were full in my double-booth
ready for the early onslaught of customers. Unfortunately, the morning skies were dark &
blustery threatening rain… and threatening all of the tents out in the yards. Luckily, I’m
protected inside the Main Barn, so I wasn’t too concerned about the weather. But I do think
it made the show have a slow start – as it seemed like many waited for the weather to clear
before coming out to shop at the art fair. But eventually… they still came out to shop!

Yep… that’s my red ribbon to celebrate being one of last year’s Top Ten Sellers!!!
And never too soon to kick-off a little holiday cheer with some Christmas ornaments.
Right along with my whimsical take on the traditional Jack O’Lanterns.

Plus, the squared off bowls with the split rim that I showed on the blog awhile back
made their debut at the Barrington show. I was very pleased with the bowls… and even
more pleased that this set of aqua blue bowls went home with a family who really seemed
to appreciate them, noticed all of the subtle details and guaranteed me that they would
give them a good home! Always good to know your work went to good people!!!

Mark your calendars for a wonderful Fall weekend getaway to the Northwoods!
I will be traveling up north with my pottery to participate in ART DETOUR.
Five artists. Five friends. All off the map… with gourmet s’mores to share!!!

Actually, there’s a full-blown Northwoods studio tour going on in the area. Many artists
will be opening their studios & galleries for this special art weekend. We are not “officially”
part of The Tour… that’s why we’re the DETOUR!!!

My potter friend Amy Higgason lives in Lake Tomohawk and she’s hosting ART DETOUR
for the second time. Stop by to see her studio, as well as the rest of us in our art fair tents.
Keep your fingers crossed for good weather. If it’s cold, don’t worry…
we’ll have the campfire stoked & burning all weekend long!

More info to come… or check out ART DETOUR on Facebook!

Don’t forget that this weekend is “ART IN THE BARN”.
It’s held on the grounds of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Illinois
just west of Routes 59 & 22. The artists are in the original barns & sheds of the original
Quaker Oats Farm. I will be in the same booth as always in the Lower Barn #E4 & E6
Another double-booth year… which means double the space, double the pots
double the fun!!! Plus, we’re inside protected from the elements. So even if it does rain
this weekend, we’re still warm & dry. Come on out to play!!!

I spent the day today in my basement storage room getting ready for this weekend’s art fair.
A lot of people don’t quite understand all of the work that goes on “behind-the-scenes.”
It’s not just the “fun” of making pots. There’s a LOT of work that goes on throughout the year
to keep the business running. Today it was “processing” all of the pieces that have come out
of my recent kilns. A lot of prepping, pricing & packing… and a LOT of pottery!!!

The good news… that after a VERY long day with the help of my best art fair assistants ever,
we got everything packed up and ready for the weekend. In fact, everything is already packed
in my parent’s van as well. We have a Friday afternoon set-up for the Barrington show. And it
will be extra nice to not be packing the van in the morning AND setting up in the afternoon.
I feel like we have a little head-start on it all this time!

So I just looked at my calendar… and had a momentary panic
when I realized that “Art In The Barn” is just a week away.

Sure, I’ve got plenty of work from my latest soda kiln…
but I always think I need to make more. And I’ve got a couple days, right?!
So why not put the pedal to the metal and make some things quick!

Tonight I threw a LOT of pieces!!! Multi-tasking between stoneware & terra cotta.
Trying my best to not contaminate one or the other too much. I really thought
I needed to make more Halloween novelties in time for “Art In The Barn.”
But, I was pretty sure I can’t make enough to fil the entire electric kiln, so why not
make some more ovals as well? You know how I love making ovals…
almost as much as making mugs?!!!

Mark your calendars now, and plan on a beautiful Fall getaway weekend
to the Wisconsin Northwoods! On the first weekend of October, there is a full tour
of Northwoods artists who open their studios. Well, we’re not quite on the tour,
we’re the ART DETOUR!!! Same weekend, so you can come up just to see us…
or you can do the full art tour as well. After spending some time playing with us
and making some gourmet s’mores!

Five friends, five artists… one studio location! One stop shopping!!!
Stop by the pottery studio of my friend Amy Higgason of Pigeon Road Pottery
for some great art, good fun & guaranteed giggles! Yep… guaranteed!!!

It’s always fun during an art fair to make new artist friends…
especially when you like their work. And even more so when you trade!

Yep, this weekend at the Evanston Art Fair, I met a talented photographer and
his girlfriend as they stopped by my booth a couple times. Apparently, they’re
pottery fans. Lucky me. So when I finally had a chance to get out of my booth to
scan the tents, I ran across the booth of Josh Merrill… and his girlfriend “assistant.”
His photography is beautiful – much like the photos I’d like to take. So I was excited
when he offered up the “trade” opportunity… and I was in!!! Here are the three
photos I came home with… and I’m loving them!!!

So not only are his photographs beautiful, but I also like the fact that there’s a story
to go with every one of them! He can tell you exactly where & when he took the picture.
He’s passionate about his travels and capturing these beautiful images! He captures
nature in such a special way with incredible colors & composition. While his work focuses
mostly on beautiful nature shots, I was drawn to the urban decay of Gary, Indiana.

I totally trust that he has taken every image – unlike a lot of other art fair
photographers! C’mon… you know you’ve seen them… pictures from all over the
world, capturing images from every exotic destination, much like the images
you can easily & readily purchase online! And no “stories” to back them up.

Click here to check out more images from Josh Merrill Photography.

With my favorite metalsmith moving to Minneapolis, I found myself going to the
Evanston Lakeshore knowing that my favorite booth neighbor” wouldn’t be there.
Instead, Sarah Chapman would be showing her work at the Uptown Art Fair in
Minneapolis. So that also meant that I would be getting a new art fair neighbor!

Luckily, I had a very nice new neighbor who made some really incredible photos!
JD Dennision has this great technique of shooting much of his work at night with
a flash, and then inverting the image to give it a glowing, ethereal, unreal effect.
Many of them look similar to traditional Chinese calligraphy brush paintings!
Like the photo below… where the blue “flowers” are actually the green leaves, and the
yellow “sky” is actually the dark evening sky inverted. Crazy… but very cool.

It was a fun weekend. And having JD in the booth next to me was a pleasure.
He’s kinda “new” to the art fair circuit… and eager to pick my brain for stories, suggestions
and encouragement. This is his first summer doing art fairs, and he still has one more year
of college. I can’t wait to see how his career and photography grow & evolve in the years
to come. And I hope that he comes back to Evanston again next year so I know that I’ve
got a good booth neighbor!