After dropping off my pottery in Evanston, I continued north to “explore” more of our beautiful lakefront. I started by heading up along the Skokie Channel Park, and then over into Wilmette along their lakefront… as the Chicago lakefront is STILL on total lockdown. A beautiful day along the lake, blue skies, great breezy… nature is amazing!

Another great “escape” from the craziness going on around us… another solitary ride, another chance to get outside while carefully steering clear of everyone!!!

Looks like my friend Tiffany made it outside to enjoy the beautiful sunny weather & some Spring flowers… well, she was still safely “sheltering-at-home” as brought her own flowers out to her front porch. A safe hangout spot with good distance from anyone… and a nice BYOV.

BYOV : Bring Your Own Vase…
which just so happens to have been made by you-know-who!!!

Looks like Spring is finally making it’s way to Chicago.
I know times are tough, but you need to get outside for some fresh air
and to appreciate Nature’s beauty. Just be safe & socially distant.

Yesterday I went for a run, then a long walk with a friend and another run back home. Yes, it is weird to carry on a conversation with 8-feet of distance between you, but I felt SO MUCH better when I got home… both mentally & physically! Just be smart. Just be safe!

So yesterday while it was so BEAUTIFUL outside… and far too many idiots were flooding the lakefront without any social distance… I decided to go for a run in the other direction! Literally.

I went for a run out to the West Ridge Nature Preserve… a little unknown nugget of nature… with a couple beautiful mosaic pieces to welcome you in. Isolated enough to be totally safe for those of us still social distancing while we get out for some exercise on a beautiful day!

While today was gloomy, gray & rainy… it was still the First Day of Spring!!! Nothing good going on outside… but luckily I have some beautiful African violets still blooming at home.

Thanks again to Nancy & Rick who gave me this plant during the holidays… and it hasn’t stopped blooming since!!! Guess it’s happy living in my dining room window???

Apparently Spring has sprung… at least from these pretty little flowers that popped up in the kiln room! They’re from a sweet little workshop that Mary Drabik taught at Lillstreet. Yes, it’s warmer out today… but we’re still a ways away from cheery flowers like these!!! I’ll take ‘em wherever I can get ‘em!

So after tackling some basic handbuilding skills last week like rolling coils & throwing slabs, my THROWDOWN students were challenged to handbuild a decorative flower brick. It was so much fun to see them as they were “unveiled” from under their plastic wrappings. Each one was so amazing… and I loved seeing how each person interpreted the challenge, and designed their own version of a flower brick!

And what’s a proper flower brick without some flowers???…
so I brought in some fake flowers just to see how they looked in each person’s vase.

Sadly, I had two students who didn’t quite get to finish their pieces… one for a flu illness, and one for a family obligation. But the rest of them ROCKED IT OUT!!! They were so amazing… that we decided as a group that they were ALL WINNERS this week!!!

HELEN
We all loved the shape of Helen’s flower brick… and how it so perfectly splayed out the flowers. Along with textures & carved patterns… including textured straps across the top!

NORAH
A whimsical twist on the flower brick with a nod to a honeycomb.
Texturally “influenced” by one of my Stodola rolling pins!

TAYLOR
Our only wall vase… along with a removable lid that helps with cleaning!

JEN
A wonderfully textured vase with swirling rim-openings to help hold the flowers…
extra amazing as this was Jen’s first handbuilding project!!!

MOLLY
A textured square box with a removable lid for cleaning… and perfectly crafted flowers on the side. Plus, as I was taking these photos, I picked it up to move it over… and it was amazingly light!!! About half of the weight that I was expecting to lift up.

JACOB
A very smooth & groovy “flower power” brick on wheels!
NOW I see what all of that orange masking tape was used for…
to get the fine black lines detailing every side!

CHRISTINE
Such an amazingly clean & purposeful flower vase with a removable lid for cleaning purposes. A more than amazing entry from Christine… as this was her first handbuilding project… ever! I think she’s onto something!!!!

TRACY
With an amazingly colorful & fanciful patterned flower brick of terra cotta. And quite a few different decorative techniques layered & working together throughout all sides of the vase.

MELANIE
With a “quilted” basket look full of textures & patterns… and underglaze transfers.
Textures “courtesy of” my textured rolling pins from STODOLA!

So there they are… another AMAZING PROJECT that my students just KILLED!!!
This season’s group of Throwdown-ers is amazing!!!

Almost a month… and not only have I not killed it yet, but it’s still blooming!!!!

One of my wonderful customers brought me a gift African violet yesterday planted in one of my own flower pots! Apparently Rick propagates & grows these violets off of his mother’s original plants after she passed away. While her plants are now well over fifty years old, the violet’s beauty continues to be shared & spread through Rick’s ever-“growing” tribute. A beautiful combo… and a beautiful gesture. Thank you so much Rick & Nancy! I love it!!!