So I gave some porcelain platters & bowls to Amy Taylor with a band of black underglaze around the rims. I also gave her a couple of my favorite DiamondCore Tools for her to play with. Looks like she’s been doing some amazing sgraffito work for our collaboration pieces for ART IN THE GARDEN in Glenview. We’re all trying to finish up our collaborations as we’re just a week and a half away… mark you calendars for September 9th & 10th!

Click here for more info – https://www.grassrootsartfair.com/

Stopped by Kristin Conneely’s mosaic studio the other day. I just love seeing where artists make their magic happen! Of course she’s got a beautiful assortment of colors, tiles & shards… including some amazing glass shards from our glass-fusing friend Robin Kittleson. So fun to see them sharing supplies… as we introduced them to each other during this spring’s “4×4 : Four Makers Show.” Robin has a ton of leftover shards & scraps from her amazing fused glass pieces… and it just works out perfect that Kristin uses “shards & scraps” in her mosaic masterpieces! Come see Kristin’s incredible mosaics at ART IN THE GARDEN on September 9th & 10th in Glenview!

Looks like potter Cory McCrory & stained glass artist Retta Hentschel are working on something pretty, shiny & flowery for ART IN THE GARDEN!!! Lots of collaborations are currently in the works… different projects at different studios. Can’t wait to see everyone’s creative collaborations in just a couple weeks!!!

Here’s a quick glimpse of something that’s been going on in my studio lately… the beginning of something fun! Parts & pieces coming together as part of a new collaboration project with my buddy Cory McCrory for ART IN THE GARDEN!

After today’s art fair in Hinsdale, I had a nice dinner with my booth neighbor Rhonda. She contacted me on Friday and suggested we do dinner after the show… and went on to suggest we go to Jade Dragon for Chinese food. She knew that for years I would go there with my Mom & Dad after the show on Saturdays. She thought it would be a nice way to honor my Mom… and I got warm fuzzies! And then tonight we ordered all of the same foods that my Mom would have ordered. Such a nice evening with my very thoughtful friend Rhonda!

Not a lot of finished artworks at the Shepherds Festival… more supplies for the crafters. But we did kinda like these little wall hangings… I assume they must be woven, felted, stitched, beaded and who knows what else? All affixed to a piece of weathered barn board… which I’m always into!!!

And you can’t really call it “a collection” with just ONE… so… this little sweetie came home too!!! Such amazing sgraffito line-work on such a small piece of porcelain pottery. Just for the record, this little pot is only 2.5-inches tall. Another AMAZING piece from Becky Lloyd from North Carolina… and already thinking about what might piece join these two next year?!

Okay, so I “may” have done a little more damage while shopping at the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour. I’ve followed Becky Lloyd on Instagram for awhile now… and have been amazed by her detailed sgraffito work. I saw her pieces for the first time last year during the tour… and have thought about them every since! Dare I say coveted? So this weekend I felt myself slipping… sensing the start of a new collection… and YES, I took this amazing piece home with me!!! The sgraffito carving is so tight & precise… and so tiny in spaces that it looks gray, not black & white… until you look really close and see that there are still individual carving lines there!!! BEAUTIFUL… and I’m so excited to own this stunner now!!!

Be sure to check her out on Instagram – @beckylloydyogamama

Okay, I couldn’t decide… so I got TWO!

Two sides to two cups to add to my already overwhelming Matthew Metz collection! Especially loving Matt’s new spiral texture technique of carving textures “behind” all of the slip & sgraffito carving!

Cup #1 –

Cup #2 –