Fresh from the ST. CROIX VALLEY POTTERY TOUR… this beautiful mishima porcelain bowl by Steven Young Lee that came home with me. Not only is it a stunning bowl with crazy-cool colors streaming out of that hand-carved criss-cross pattern… but it was also made by my own favorite pottery teacher!

Yes… Steve Lee was one of my early pottery teachers back at the old Lillstreet location. It was a more advanced wheelthrowing class… and Steve was very clear with his expectations right from the start. A great teacher… with great pots… and always good to see him again on the Minnesota Pottery Tour.

Last Sunday during the pottery tour, I also got this beautiful mug from my friend Delores Fortuna. Always fun to chat with her while admiring her work. If you need a mug too… Delores will also be part of the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR… just a month away!!! Mark your calendars… I’ll be part of the Tour as well.

June 7th & 8th from 10:00am-5:00pm.
More information at www.northernilpotterytour.com

Time to mark your calendars for the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR. I will once again be one of the Guest Artists at the Sandwich location… home of My Talented Friend Cory McCrory. Last week was the Sandwich stop’s “Feature Week” on Instagram… and here are my feature photos! It’s going to be a great weekend with pottery at several stops along The Tour. Check the dates Saturday, June 7th & Sunday, June 8th… not that far away!!!

For more information… www.northernilpotterytour.com

So this week I added another mug to my already overflowing “Mug Collection.” This handcarved & soda-fired beauty by my friend & pottery student Kristen. She may have started as a metalsmith years ago when we first met, but now we’ve won her over to the clay world!!! Such amazing design, details & craftsmanship.

If you think you might “need” to add some of Kristen’s pottery to your collection as well… she’s doing a Pop-Up Sale tomorrow at OMC : Our Mutual Coffee Co. in Chicago at 3600 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60618 from 7:00am-3:00pm. Be sure to stop by & say “Hi”… your coffee will definitely taste better in one of Kristen’s mugs!!!

Doin’ a little ZOOM’n with a couple of My Talented Friends… Sarah Chapman & Darlys Ewoldt… as we are already planning our “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS” show for next Spring! We’ll introduce a new “fourth” maker to the show soon… but until then, you can mark your calendar now!!! February 28th-March 2nd in Evanston!

My longtime pottery pal & “co-collaborator” at ART IN THE GARDEN every year since the beginning… the amazing Cory McCrory!!! Her work is always colorful with lots of textures, plus a sense of whimsy that is undeniable! Always fun to play with Cory… and I can’t wait to see our finished collaboration pieces when they come out of her kiln… just in time for this weekend!!!

Introducing the talented metalsmith Amy Taylor… and our host for this annual art fair in her backyard!!! As well as one my “co-collaborators” this year. Amazing craftsmanship & designs… and I especially love that she uses some unconventional “stones” in her work like reflectors, pieces of bowling balls & my favorite “fordite”!!! Let’s just say… I have quite a collection of her pieces!!!

I had thrown a large platter for a class demo… and then it “lived under plastic” for a bit too long, getting too dry to stamp. So I gave it to my friend & former student to work her magic on. Kristen has been doing wonderful carving techniques on her pots, but mostly smaller mugs & bowls. I thought it might be fun to challenge her with a larger surface to decorate. And she did NOT disappoint!!! The platter looks AMAZING with her beautiful carvings all around the rim. It’s now back in my studio and I need to figure out where to go from here. To glaze or soda-fire, that is the question…

Check-out more of Kristen’s amazing work on Instagram… @kayhoceramics

My good friend & former pottery student Kristen is doing a great pop-up this weekend! And who doesn’t love handmade pottery AND chocolate?!!! Stop by the Irving Park location of KATHERINE ANNE CONFECTIONS this weekend to see some of Kristen’s pottery & grab some yummy chocolate too!!!

And if you stop by Saturday between 1:00-2:00pm, Kristen will be in the store doing live demos of her carving techniques!

Plus, if you follow, tag & share them both on Instagram, you’ll be entered in a raffle for pottery & chocolate!!! Two of my favorite things!!!

Last Friday night, My Talented Friend Cheryl Holz had an Opening Reception in Aurora… right around the corner from the Opening Reception for the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR at the Aurora location. Coincidentally on the same night, but a great chance to see her wonderful work hanging on the gallery walls. I love her work… the colors, the textures, the multi-media collages, and now… oh, but wait there’s more... hand-sculpted, three-dimensional birds perched inside her paintings!

For more about Cheryl’s paintings… https://cherylholz.com/

Even more coincidental… Cheryl took a workshop with Deana Bada Maloney to learn how to sculpt & paint the birds… and Deana was showing her ceramic masterpieces at the Sandwich location of the Pottery Tour too!!! Small world, huh?!