Another surprise find during my trip to Omaha last weekend was running into these two masterpieces by ceramic artist Jun Kaneko. I’ve seen a couple of these dango sculptures (Japanese for “rounded form”) before at SOFA CHICAGO… but never this up-close & personal. Little did I know that his studio is in Omaha too… I learned that fact when I got home!!! Too late… maybe next time?!

So excited to be part of this new Pottery Tour… featuring so many great potters! I wish we were doing it live & in-person this time… but with times being what they are, we’re online virtual this year. But look for us alive & in-person next summer!!! More details to come!!!

Today’s MY day apparently! Excited to be today’s Featured Artist for the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR! We’re just a couple weeks away from our inaugural Pottery Tour… virtual this year, in-person from then on! June 18th, 19th & 20th.

Honored to be part of the Tour… along with several of My Talented Friends! Mark your calendars… and follow-along for more details @northernilpotterytour … as well as our new website www.northernilpotterytour.com

Well lookie here… there’s a lot of great potters getting together to put on a brand new NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR! Many of them I already know as “My Talented Friends”… the others I can’t wait to add to that list! So many potters, so many pots, so much talent all in one Pottery Tour. Going virtual this year June 18-20th… but looking forward to a full on-location Pottery Tour in 2022. More details to come… and check us out at www.northernilpotterytour.com

And of course, a new twist-tie necklace needs a lovely supermodel to properly show it off! Huge thanks to my pal Judy for volunteering to help this afternoon at Lillstreet… she was the first of the three I asked to volunteer. See Catherine & Patti what fun you missed out on… should’ve volunteered sooner… HA!!!

April 2021 Handmade Chain Challenge… DONE!!!
#2021chainchallenge – #handmadechain – #chainlinks2021

A new show has popped up in the Lillstreet Gallery Annex on the second floor. Sculptural works by one of the new Artists-In-Residence… Corran Shrimpton. I was struck by this piece as it was the first one to show-up in the gallery space. Striking & powerful… as she reaches for the chalk eraser!

Look what showed up in the mail today! The poster for THE ST. CROIX VALLEY POTTERY TOUR! I’ve been going to this pottery tour for over a decade – always one of my favorite road trips.

Until now… last year & again this year they will be going “virtual” with online sales instead of an in-person event. So much more fun to touch, love & actually feel the pottery… as well as chat with the artists in-person. But I get it… staying safe during these crazy times. Guess we’ll have to play online instead… with fingers crossed for the in-person tour to return next year!!! Now if I could just wrangle an invite to be one of the potters included THAT would truly make my day!!!

GOOD NEWS! Looks like one of my students made “The Show-Off Shelf” at Lillstreet. Whoo-Hoo!!! Christine is coming in for my class tonight so she’ll be thrilled when she sees her colorful masterpieces proudly on display!… and a couple flowerpots still on the racks!

Hard to tell size & scale of my March chain… but with my own little “Carol Merrill” at the ready to model for me, it looks even better when someone is wearing it. Huge thanks to my friend Christine for being around today as I “drafted here” to model it for me!!!

2021chainchallenge – #handmadechain – #chainlinks2021

She’s a trooper… and great artist… yes, she’s the one who made the amazing OREO planter for me!!! Huge “props” to Christine!!!

And coincidentally, I went home with a mug from Kate, and a mug from Kathleen! So we kinda “traded” after a good amount of switching & stealing along the way!

Kate’s mug has a shino glaze base with a green glaze squirted on as an accent that does amazing things during the firing.

Kathleen went a bit more “structured” with thin tape lines to block out her primary colored design using underglazes.

Each of them a nice addition to my already overflowing Mug Collection!