I’m very protective of my Summer Campers… especially when they get “blamed” for leaving messes in classrooms. I will vouch for my campers who clean better than most adult students. Especially when we come into our room in the morning to find this… a full set-up with porcelain, a Giffin Grip, tools & more still on a wheel?! Can’t “blame” the kids for this one… but they did clean it up for you whoever you are?!

ou know it’s gonna be a good day at summer camp…
when your first camper asks (even before saying hello)… “Can I clean the sponges again today?”

Of course the answer is always “YES!”
Now if I could just get some of the adult students to do the same.
Thanks for volunteering Ellie!!!

Celebrating the start of a new summer camp day… with FRESH CANVAS on our wedging table!!! Huge thanks to Caleb & Calvin for getting it done just before the kiddos started to arrive!!! So exciting… we’ve had ripped-up canvas for far too long!!! It’s a BIG day!!!

My Summer Camp “tour of duty” begins Monday!!! Looking forward to their unbounded energy & enthusiasm. So funny. So entertaining. I have several weeks coming up… starting with a week of Wheelthrowing & Handbuilding with 8-10 year olds!!! Giddy-up!!!

Morning mosaic time… with a quick glimpse at the bricolage mural on the front of Lillstreet Art Center. With lots of fun “pieces & parts” mixed in throughout… including one very recognizable stamped vase near the bottom corner!

Tomorrow is class registration at Lillstreet Art Center for the Spring session of pottery classes. I will be teaching my usual Intermediate Wheel on Monday nights, Beginning Wheel on Tuesday nights & a once-a-year special Surface Decoration class on Thursday nights. Registration begins at 10:00am… in-person & online. But I will say… that ever since Covid, it seems like registering for a pottery class is pretty tough! My classes will typically fill-up & close in about five minutes! Everyone jokes… but sadly, it’s not very funny… that registration at Lillstreet has become kinda like “The Hunger Games.”

Here’s the online link…. and good luck… www.lillstreet.com

Last night in my LILLSTREET THROWDOWN class… it’s Week Two and they just got their “Main Make” Project!!! While they’ll have ongoing challenges, contests & projects weekly… this ongoing project needs to be done & presented for critique & final judging at our last class in Week 10.

Since we’re in the dead of winter… I figured it’s Soup Season! So their challenge is to create a full Soup Service Set. Complete with a lidded soup tureen, tureen plate, ladle, four soup bowls & four soup spoons! That’s a hefty challenge to take on with a strict deadline looming.

And oh, but wait there’s more… you know I LOVE a good theme. And since it’s “Award Season”… our theme for the soup sets is “Academy Award Best Picture” movies. I printed out a bunch of movie posters for them to choose sight-unseen. They just got a little hint of the year it won the award!

They were all very excited about their big THROWDOWN challenge project. And there was a good bit of googling & researching as them began to ponder their theme and how to best approach the project. I can’t wait to see how their projects progress!!!

LILLSTREET HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE is tonight from 5:00pm-8:00pm
I’m in my studio ready to help you with your holiday shopping.
I have plenty of MUGS for everyone. Be sure to stop by!

Lillstreet Art Center
4401 North Ravenswood at Montrose – Studio 205 West… on the second floor
Chicago, Illinois 60640

It looked like it was just going to be gray & gloomy this morning… so I skipped my morning ride and went into the studio instead. But then THIS happened!!! A beautiful urban sunrise from the roof of Lillstreet Art Center!

Such a FANTASTIC group of students this session for my Lillstreet Throwdown class! Hard to believe this was my “season seven” of teaching this fun class! They all did such an amazing job. Always so creative, always focused & willing to take on any challenge I presented them with. They were all forced out their comfort zones… and seriously rose to the occasion! And yet always laughing & encouraging each other. Such great class camaraderie!!! They’re the best… they are the CHAMPIONS!!!

My apologies to Barb in advance… somehow I missed getting a good headshot photo with her ribbons! My bad.