While everyone is looking for a little more brightness & joy these days… it was great to turn a corner on my bike this afternoon and run across this colorful mural under a bridge. It made me smile. Thank You MollyZ for making Rogers Park a little more beautiful… and for helping make people smile even during these tough times!

And speaking of MUGSHOT MONDAY… just showing off two new mugs for my “already-overflowing” Mug Collection! Beautiful mugs & glazing effects by Steven Showalter in Minnesota! I’ve admired his work for years… his techniques, his teachings and his willingness to share everything online! We’ve never met, but it seems like I know him already thanks to social media! And you should too… look him up on Facebook or Instagram… his work is AMAZING!!!

Another weekly installment from Cirque du Soleil.
Something fun to watch today with your Mom…
as they take you behind the scenes of LUZIA.

One of my favorite shows based on a creative journey through Mexico. The colors, costumes & music are wonderful. Not to mention that magical rain curtain that draws pictures, the dress that actually blooms right in front of you while she sings, or the beautiful red papel picado curtain tube! So much fun to see the creative process as they design & build such a lavish show!

Click here to watch LUZIA “Behind The Curtain” on Facebook.

This same “Behind The Curtain Special” is on then LUZIA DVD if you ever want to see it again!

As “shelter-at-home” continues on & on… today is a weird day for many potters as the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour was forced to go “virtual” this weekend for the first time EVER. I’ve gone to the big Minnesota Pottery Tour for MANY years to see a lot of incredible pottery, meet the artists, network, get inspired, play with friends and add to my own pottery collection! It’s become an annual tradition. But this year… it is all online! Which might be the “new normal” for the foreseeable future. But I don’t like it. I miss playing with my friends. I miss touching & holding pottery. I miss a lot of things! But we’re all in this together… so show ’em some love and check-out their online Pottery Tour Sale!!!

Click here to go to the main Minnesota Potters web page… and then go shopping by artist!

And just to whet your whistle… a jew photos from how it “used to be”!!! If you want more, you can also go back in my blog here to see some of my adventures in previous years! Do a SEARCH for Minnesota Pottery Tour and see a bunch of great times & great pottery!

Not so much for this year… mwah, mwah, mwah…

Desperate times call for desperate measures! So glad to see that my friend Julie has been taking care of herself & staying healthy with a little “retail therapy!” And supporting artists & local businesses at the same time! Thank You so much Julie… we all appreciate it! Distinct bath & body, Bachor pothole art… and ME!!!

For those of you saw Cory’s amazing teapot in process a couple days back… and were wondering what the final teapot looked like AFTER the final firing??? Well, here you go… and it’s AMAZING!!!

And while you’re at it… be sure to go see more of her work and follow Cory on Facebook!!! Click here!

Here are a few detail shots… all whimsically crafted by Cory!
Some great details & accents that have come out of the COVID-19 lockdown & quarantine. Just a few more signs of the times!!!

While “documenting” the whole concept of Shelter-At-Home… of course Cory had to pay homage to the whole face mask situation! So many people making masks of their own… and Cory making even more, but now on such a small scale!

Notice the clothesline hanging between the teapot & spout…
and the wonderful masks hanging out to dry!

Hopefully there’s some days in our future soon where we won’t need those darn masks any more!!!

Making the most of a bad situation… or TWO!
Potholes AND Coronavirus!!!

Dealing with both at the same time!!!
And a lot of creativity to help us all get through this together… with a smile!
Thanks to Chicago mosaic artist Jim Bachor.

Click here for the full article on ThisIsColossal.com

So my friend Cory McCrory has been working on a new teapot for an upcoming show. And don’t for a moment think it is a “normal” teapot thrown on the wheel like I would make. Oh no… that’s NOT how Cory rolls!

Instead, Cory makes these elaborate, handbuilt sculptures with paperclay that have made me smile for YEARS!!! We first met at the Hinsdale Fine Arts Fair when our booths were one row away from each other. I could see her work, she could see mine… but we didn’t have a lot of time to go over and look as we were both busy in our booths. But I could already tell from a distance that I was enamored already!!! I finally made it over to her both and instantly fell in love with Cory AND her amazing work!!!

So if you’re NOT following Cory on Facebook or Instagram, you definitely should be!!! She’s been working on this amazing teapot for the past couple weeks… and graciously been sharing photos every step of the way. I’ll post a “teaser” of the finished underglazed version as it goes into the kiln here. But for the full “start-to-finish” Photo Album, click here for a link to her Facebook page.

So here I am still showing off some of my pottery collection! Here’s another kitchen cabinet with my Steven Hill dinnerware set. Long story… it’s all here on my blog if you just do a quick search for Steven Hill… I never thought I was going to get it… it was a long time coming… but Steven pulled through, and “surprised” me with these beauties!

Great glazes. Great pottery. Great guy!!!
Thanks Steven!

My friend Donna Sauers posted a very thoughtful post on her Facebook page yesterday about how important art friends are during these trying times. And I have to agree. Being sheltered-in-place alone at home can be very quiet & lonely… but it’s great to be surrounded by a lot of artwork made by your Talented Friends! And we’re all looking forward to the day art fairs may start again, so we can get out to show-off our wares, and finally play with our Talented Friends again face-to-face!

I’ve collected a lot of art… and well as “collected” a lot of Talented Friends over the past few years. It is so great to have talented friends to play with, chat with, collaborate with and to help support & promote each other! So here’s Donna’s original post sharing some of her “collection”… including art by me & my Talented Friend Cory McCrory! Cory makes amazingly whimsical paper clay pieces, and Donna makes beautiful glass beads, jewelry and some new welded-metal-mixed media pieces!!! Check them both out on Facebook… while you’re still sitting on the sofa waiting for that commercial to end!