Today I had lunch with two of my “ART DETOUR” cohorts… my friend & metalsmith
Sarah Chapman and potter-from-the-Northwoods Amy Higgason! We chatted and
shared some of our Christmas stories. As well as talking about some of our plans for
the upcoming year. With art fair application season right around the corner, it’s time
for all of us to consider where we want to be in the coming months! We had a nice lunch
at a local Thai restaurant – Amy’s choice as she doesn’t have Thai food in the Northwoods!
Along the way, there were also a few gifts shared, a few more trinkets purchased,
and we all left with more “goodies” than we came with!

Amy and I are both proud owners of some new “Chapman-wear”… me with a new
silver link bracelet and Amy with an incredible new ring. Custom-made by Sarah just for us!!!

I also added to my already expansive Christmas ornament collection…
adding two more Amy Higgason ornaments to the mix. Already on my tree…

Have I mentioned lately how much I love having “talented friends”???

First off, I received a beautiful photograph from a photographer friend of mine.
I’ve been “coveting” this photograph for a few years after meeting Brad Pogatetz
as my “Art In The Barn” booth neighbor. I’ve himmed & hawed for years…
and finally, tired of me putting it off I’m sure, my parents purchased a print of it for me
at the “One Of A Kind Show.” Of course, I had no idea. Brad didn’t tell me. Even Sarah,
who was totally in on it, didn’t tell me! Regardless, I love it. Now I just need to get it
framed and find a place to hang it!

I love Brad’s work. It’s an intriguing combination of architecture, history, urbanization,
ruin, vegetation, nature’s reclaiming power, and my favorite… rusty metal.
Check out more of his work on his website, click here – Brad Pogatetz Photography.

Also… as if that weren’t enough…
my parents also gave me a brand-spankin’-new Canon PowerShot camera!
Much like the one I’ve been using for years. Hundreds of sunrises later, a couple bad falls
and few pieces of tape holding it together… I guess it was time for a new camera?!
I’m very excited to start out the New Year with a new camera.
So I can continue my quest for the perfect sunrise!

I especially love how the sun is making all of the inclusions in that amber pendant
reflect and sparkle. If no one else snags it, someday it may need to join my “collection.”
And the incredible shadows being cast across her display on some of her beautiful
wire-knotted pieces. This necklace looks incredible!

So stop on by to see Sarah’s incredible work… while the sun is still shining!

First a couple new things from Cory. An adorable red hat kid which is actually a jar.
The hat comes off to reveal a bright orange interior! And you know how I love orange!

Speaking of orange… I also got another mug from Cory while I was there. I’ve always been
drawn to her sense of color & whimsy. Plus the textures & patterns ain’t too shabby either!

And then, as if I don’t already have too many ornaments on my Christmas tree, I needed to
get another one from Cory. The white bird will get added tot he tree. The black bird will
take up year-round residence elsewhere! You’ll need to come find it!

And another textured, porcelain vessel by Roberta. Such fine detail and carving! Love it.

And a groovy plate by Delores! Great pattern & design… plus a really cool “lip” or rim
of the late that curls over slightly. To help get all of those peas onto your fork!

It was another busy night of art. This Ceramics Showcase and the Lillstreet Holiday Opening.
Of you have a chance, stop by either one, or both, today or tomorrow!

Ceramics Showcase is at the McGaw YMCA at 1000 Grove Street, Evanston, Illinois
Lillstreet Art Center is at 4401 North Ravenswood (at Montrose), Chicago, Illinois

The piece that really caught my interest was her new “tile” wall piece!
Squares of textured pieces of metal showcasing several different methods, textures and
finishes. All connected with jump rings so it can hang on the wall like a “tile” tapestry!
Here’s just a small section of the wall hanging. Love it…

And no wonder… it does look somewhat familiar to me.
Kinda like a section of my own textured tiled wall?!

SOFA CHICAGO 2012 Exhibition Catalog online – search for page 254

Also, as a quick heads-up… Sarah will also be having a Trunk Show at Lillstreet just in time
to kick-off the holiday shopping season. The show opening will be on Thursday,
November 17th and run through the following week with beauties like these…

Special thanks to my talented friend Cory McCrory who created this masterpiece.
Such talented fingers and incredible creativity, all coming together in a murder!

And a special, handmade totem pole doesn’t take anything away from the plants either!
It’s a stacked totem pole with soda fired flashing & textures that I made a few years back.
As well as a fun “Green Man” smirking back when you walk past the rusted gate!
Look familiar?… well, I made that for them too! Gerry always wanted one!!! Plus a lot
of fun accent pieces scattered about… going natural, weathering, rotting, whatever!

With layers & terraces all over, they’ve staggered their gardens all the way down to the creek.
Gerry & Rosene have taken such care & effort to plant the coolest plants for their colors,
textures & novelty. Which I love. But as you know, it’s been raining since I can remember!
So it was great to see their garden this time after a little sprinkle of rain. I loved how the colors
seemed more vibrant, and the water droplets glistened on the leaves!

And not only do they have great plants… but they also have an addiction to rust!
Maybe that’s why we get along so well? Rusty trinkets, wooden pulleys, bikes, letters
and a whole lot of other fun to be found all over the garden! Or in their guest room…
which had been “prepared” for my arrival!

Over the years, they’ve “propagated” a wonderful little business in their garden!
And every year they divide bunches of their plants to sell off at their annual plant sales.
After the sales, they can’t stand to put the unsold plants back in the ground… and therefore,
I totally “score” and benefit from their generosity! And thanks to my “green-thumbed friends,”
my condo gardens are thriving with some of the coolest plants ever! And now…
I have a car-full to plant if it ever stops raining?!

If you’re lucky enough to run across Roberta at an art fair, take some time to admire
the fine details & glazing effects. There’s a lot of work going into these tiny treasures!
For more about Roberta Polfus and her work, click on her website here.

I met Cory several years ago during the Hinsdale Art Fair. We had booths fairly close
to each other and have been friends ever since. Her sense of whimsy, attention to details,
use of colors & textures… and her never-ending creativity have amazed me for years!

Some of Cory’s newest work includes there incredible wall pieces – complete with twigs,
leaves and playful, life-sized blackbirds! But they’re not all feathered… there were also
love birds, and other fun things perched on branches! All of which are handmade
& sculpted with Cory’s special blend of paper clay. With that, she gets great such great
textures and flexibility while she’s constructing her pieces.

If you can make it out to Oak Park, Cory’s show will be running in the gallery at
Terra Incognito through June 16th, 2011. For more information, click on Terra Incognito.
And if you do, make sure you add a new piece of hers to your collection… I did.