Always fun to finish another commission project… even if you “forget” to post pictures of it?! I loved how this set of side plates turned out… each with a different stamp pattern… half of them smooth, half of them with a groovy spiral. Thanks Chris for this fun project… so glad you loved them all. Can’t wait to get started our your new dinner plates now!!!

It’s been a LONG day at the studio… morning camp, afternoon camp, glazing, more glazing… and then teaching again tonight. And as if that weren’t enough, I also loaded a kiln after class … later than planned as the person before me didn’t unload their pieces yesterday as they were scheduled to do. I had to wait… finally able to load late tonight after class!!! Here’s just one layer of the kiln with some new, colorful mugs… which might be coming “still warm” to the GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR this weekend?!

Between summer camp & teaching tonight, I’ve been trying to get a lot of glazing done! Trying my best to squeeze in one last glaze kiln before this weekend’s GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR. It’s been rough… as glazing is my least favorite part of the whole process!

Reconstituting some glaze that had settled out a little too much in my studio… I mean, it didn’t get used much what with the pandemic and all. So with the help of an immersion blender, some more water & a fine sieve to press the glaze through… I now have this bucket of glaze back in working order!!!

Okay, so I know that this little “mug-orange-mug trio” is the result of a little kiln incident where they got fused together during our Lillstreet Throwdown class… so sorry Tracy!

But I will say… it makes me so happy to see them still on Tracy’s shelves at Lillstreet. And the number of people who stop by and actually touch the orange to see if it’s real… only to find out it was made out of clay… and then the surprise when the two mugs lift up with it when they grab the orange!!! So funny!!!

SHE KILLED IT AGAIN!!!

Yes, Chelsea the “Queen of Glaze” worked her magic one more time!!! This second bowl is just as stunning as that first bowl… I kinda wish I had more bowls for her to glaze! As glazing is my least favorite part of the pottery process.

So here’s Chelsea’s “recipe” that made this magic happen… 1- Galaxy Black inlaid in the carvings and wiped back. 2- dipped in Chun Blue. 3- some Coleman Apple Green on the ridges. 4- some Rutile Blue. 5- Finished with some Cohen’s Red swirled in the bottom. Of course there is not guarantee that Chelsea’s “magic” will work exactly the same way for anyone else!!!

If you want to see more of Chelsea’s glaze magic, she will also be part of the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR at the Aurora stop!

All glazed & kiln loaded… with some soon-to-be colorful mugs on the bottom layer! Now to get home to start prepping & packing for this weekend’s HINSDALE FINE ARTS FESTIVAL. It should be a beautiful weekend in Burlington Park in downtown Hinsdale… c’mon by!

Just a few more… a few more to glaze & a few more to load. Trying to glaze & load the kiln kinda at the same time. Hoping to get everything in so I can have the kiln fire & cool over the weekend. Just in time for THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR next weekend June 11th & 12th.

Last night in class, one of my Beginner’s has started doing these wonderful carvings into her pots… and wondering how to best glaze them to show-off the textures & patterns. We decided to paint black underglaze into the design, gently wipe off the top layer leaving it only in the grooves… then spraying a thin translucent glaze over the entire pot. Can’t wait to see how Kristen’s carved masterpieces turn out!!! She’s so excited…. and well, she should be!!!

One of my Intermediate students has been “struggling” with getting the right glaze results for her intricate pots… lots of carving, stamping, painting, illustrations, etc. The classrooms glazes have been “covering” all of her hard work.. so she’s been testing some commercial cone 6 glazes when I fire my cone six studio work. Looks like Christine is getting some great results. Can’t wait to see where this glaze journey progresses!