You know how I like beautiful landscape photography.
And pride myself on a few of my own sunrise biking photos.
But here’s another friend of mine who takes great pictures!
Although I’m still wondering where the color went?

Personally I prefer my nature shots to be vivid color as Mother Nature intended.
But my friend Julie Wight sees the world differently through her camera lens
and creates these stunning, and sometimes haunting, black & white photographs.
I’m entranced by the composition, the contrast, the geometry… basically all of it.

The majority of the work I have seen of Julie’s has been this kind of austere nature shot.
But recently, Julie kicked off her own photography blog to showcase more of her photography.
And this time, it’s not all landscapes. I can’t wait to see where her blogging journeys take her.
Be sure to check out her new blog adventures – http://juliewight.blogspot.com/

Beautiful shapes. Beautiful textures. Beautiful glazes.
Gracefully combined by Kate Biderbost… another Talented Friend of mine!

I’ve know Katie for several years now since our days at the “original” Lillstreet Art
Center. In fact, Katie was one of my instructors early on as I was just getting started
in soda firing. Over the years, Katie has gone away for grad school and now returned
to Lillstreet as a studio member. She continues to teach around Chicago and…
she continues to make great pots!!! In fact, I’ve started quite the collection for myself!
Including a nice collection of Katie’s mugs as they’ve grown & changed over the years!
Her latest style is this beautiful “knit-woven” texture she creates with layers of slip.
Check out her new website and you’ll see her actually working on the detailing!

So now she finally has a website to share with everyone!
After many years of pots… many years of school… many years of teaching…
Katie has finally ventured onto the World Wide Web!!!
Check her out on her new website!!!   www.KateBiderbost.com

And speaking of talented friends… here’s another one! Metalsmith Amy Taylor!
She makes great jewelry. She makes me laugh. She also made me this…

In the past, she’s made me two pendants using slices of vintage bowling ball instead
instead of a semi-precious stone! Anyone can use a stone… but a bowling ball, c’mon!
And this time, she’s outdone herself!

All of Amy’s jewelry is based on a creative use of a hinge! So all of her work pivots,
turns & twists. And as an eternal necklace fidgeter, this one is perfect of me!
Flip it, twist it, spin it. Either way you look at it – it’s groovy on both sides!
But what is it you may ask?… and don’t even guess a stone!

The “stone” center of the pendant is a piece of paint slag. Apparently, when they closed
the Ford automobile plant, someone was ingenious enough to chip some of the paint
off the floor. Picture years & years of auto paint, layers & layers… chipped off the floor!
When the chunks were cut down and smoothed into cabochons, the layers of paint
are revealed to show off these groovy patterns of colors. Different on both sides!
So a quick flip of the hinged pendant shows off both sides of the paint slag cabochon!
Brilliant… I told you so! Check out more groovy stuff at www.AmyTaylorJewelry.com

She also made a smaller necklace for my Mom, but she hasn’t seen it yet. Soon…
I’m sure she’s going to love it.

I’ve said it many times…  ” I love having talented friends.”
So much creativity. So much exuberance. So much talent. And always willing to share!
Martin Chadwick has been featured here before… but look what he’s been up to now!
A large scale pastel drawins on the city streets of Raleigh, North Carolina!

I met Martin & his wife Christi when they took my beginning pottery class at Lillstreet.
While Christi had a session’s head-start, Martin quick caught up and was quite proficient.
It wasn’t until later that I found out that he was an architectural model builder and an
incredible painter. They have since moved to Raleigh, North Carolina… where Martin
is becoming quote the local celebrity!… at least in the art circles! And look how he’s made
his mark on the city streets of Raleigh. Check out his work at www.ChadwicksWorld.com

Too bad it’s just chalk… and it’s got rain at some point, right?!
And pay no attention to the typo in his website address in the picture above…

Tonight was a special night for my Beginning & Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing
class at Lillstreet Art Center. My friend Amy Higgason from the Northwoods was
passing through Chicago and stopped by for a fun evening of dinner, conversation…
and a wonderful demonstration of her fantastic decoration techniques for my class!

Amy was once a Lillstreet Studio Artist back at the original location. She has since
moved on to the Wisconsin Northwoods – and set herself up as Pigeon Road Pottery.
I was up there a couple weeks ago for her Fall Art Tour – and it was great to have her
stop by my class! What a great opportunity for them to see another great potter at work
and sharing all of her surface decoration “secrets.”

After some brief introductions, Amy started to work on a couple simple bowls
that I had thrown on Sunday. I made five different bowls for Amy and I to work on.
The demonstration for my students was to see Amy’s work & techniques… but also
to see how a little surface decoration can dramatically alter the look of a pot.
And how five very similar bowls can end up completely different with her techniques,
my techniques… or our combined efforts! Amy then proceeded to start carve, chat and
discuss her path as a ceramic artist. Amy and I have similar backgrounds – both as
graphic designers who have shunned the corporate life. She worked on decorating her
bowls as she answered questions and demonstrated different techniques… and laughed!

The evening went by very fast. By the end of the evening, Amy had carved three
different bowls… and I had stamped one bowl in my newer “puffy stamps” style… as well
as one bowl that we worked together on as a collaboration piece! During her time, I also
worked with my students on their own throwing, and demonstrated how to throw a plate.

By the end of the evening, we had completed five dramatically different bowls. All of which
were very much the same at the start of the evening. I have a few small finishing touches
to do on them tomorrow before they can all start drying. I think my students enjoyed
our “surprise” special guest artist. Plus, I think Karen Avery’s Intermediate Wheelthrowing
Class enjoyed it too… as they came in and joined the Amy party! And special thanks to one of
my former students Chuck (and his wife) who brought in a tray of the best homemade
chocolate chip cookies ever!!!… and they were still warm! – Chuck, you rock!!!

I know that one of my students, Pam, enjoyed the night with Amy. They met
just a couple weeks ago during the Northwoods Tour – and Pam has become one of
Amy’s greatest fans VERY quickly!!!… and has already started her own
Pigeon Road Pottery Collection!

This weekend is the Northwoods Art Tour up in Wisconsin. Just in time for Fall colors too!
And my friend Amy Higgason is participating in the tour again this summer. She’s a great
potter who used to work at Lillstreet Art Center with the rest of us. But then she decided
to “fly the coop” and move up to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Since then, the has made
a nice home for herself, as well as a beautiful studio! And she’ll be showing off her studio
this weekend… Amy Higgason at Pigeon Road Pottery.

It’s going to be three days of fun… and a lot of art to boot! Each day from 10:00am-5:00pm.
Friday, October 1st  -  Saturday, October 2nd  -  Sunday, October 3rd.

Amy will be Studio #14 on the big tour. Also joining Amy will be potter Katlyn Koester
as her guest artist. Both of them make beautiful pots, whimsical decorative pieces and
so much more! Too much talent for just one stop on the Art Tour!!!

I will be traveling up to the Northwoods to help Amy for the weekend – and would love
to see you stop by. Amy makes this incredible work that is quite detailed & intricate.
A lot of textures and patterns. Some of it has sprigs & carving, while others are more
slip & sgraffito illustrations! Incredible work. Come check it out.
For more details… www.northwoodsarttour.com

In the past, I’ve focused on some of My Talented Friends… other artists I admire.
This time, it’s one of the daughters of my longtime friends Kel & Kelly who is starring in
a local production of “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” this weekend
down in Pontiac, Illinois with the Vermillion Players.

As one of the Narrators of the show, Kieran is on stage for a large portion of the show.
Traditionally, the role of the Narrator is performed by one actress… but this time around,
in an effort to get as many kids into the show as possible, they’ve split the role amongst
four girls. But of course, as the proud Uncle Gary, I do believe that Kieran stole the show
with her incredible voice and engaging stage presence. Watch for her… she’s going to be
a big star on Broadway some day soon!

And the talent doesn’t end with Kieran in the family… just off in the wings are Maddie
and Merryn who were also in the show. With a group of family & friends in the audience,
the three Krenz girls did a wonderful job and had an incredible evening. If you have a chance,
there are two more performances tonight & tomorrow night. Go, Go, Go Joe!!!

Subjected to the hectic, frenzied & totally unorganized experience of my VERY first
craft fair… Gerry & Rosene have been with me since the beginning of my pottery career.
Unbeknownst to them, Gerry & Rosene were across the aisle from me when I showed up
to set up my booth. It was my very first art fair – and I knew nothing!!! They were veterans
of the art fair circuit and watched in disbelief as I spread my pottery all over the floor,
the aisle, anywhere I could so that I could empty the crates that would become my shelving…
it was everywhere! And nothing was pre-priced… I was a wreck. Luckily, they were there
to help me through this crazy experience!

Gerry & Rosene were the owners & artists of Pine Needle Crafts – focusing on “primitive”
home decorations. Since then, they have retired from the art fair circuit, as well as “crafting”
all together. Instead, they have decided to turn their other passion into a new business
venture. Their incredible garden down in Central Illinois is spectacular vision with layers,
colors, textures and whimsical touches everywhere you look. Once a year, they open up
the garden in the Spring for their own garden sale of hostas, perennials & annuals.

This weekend, I made the trip down to visit… and sit back to relax in their garden.
It’s always great to see them, share stories while playing in the dirt, relax in the hot tub,
and enjoy some incredible brownies!!!

Besides the rusty bikes… which are a great accent for any garden… I need to get one…
one of my favorite focal points in their garden is this groovy bridge that crosses the creek at
the bottom of the garden ravine. The plank bridge was simple & plain… until they put their
collection of rusty garden tools to “use” as their not-quite-conventional handrail. Love it.

So their yard is incredible. The front of their house is full of flowers and rusty accents.
Turn around the side of the house and enjoy a large deck overlooking the backyard.
A few steps down, and you see an incredible “spread” of garden unfold before you.
Layers & terraces take you down to the bottom of the ravine, across the bridge and
back up the other side. Around every corner, there are spectacular plants & flowers. Some
have bright colored flowers, while others are more appreciated for their foliage & textures.

But it’s not just flowers… like I said, it’s also an incredible assortment of rusty metal
accents – and you know how I LOVE RUST!!! So it’s great to look around… see the
beautiful garden they’ve created and be inspired by their passion & excitement.

Plus… mixed in amongst the sloping garden… one of my own ceramic totem poles!
Being slightly upstaged by a beautiful Siberian iris.

In addition to gardening, Gerry is still working in the wood shop making bird houses!
Over the years, I have received quite a collection of Gerry’s pieces… many with great
barnboard sides and rusty metal roofs. Rosene stays crafty as well – mostly with her
hand-painted garden plant identification markers. Yes… EVERY PLANT in their garden
is marked with a hand-painted sign! Crazy, I know…

But then it’s time to drive back to the city after a very enjoyable day in their garden.
And a car load of potted plants they’ve sent me home with. Plants that were left over
from their sale, as well as cuttings & divisions from many of their spectacular garden.
For those of you that have seen my condo garden, you can thank Gerry & Rosene for
the majority of the plants that are flourishing there. They have been such generous
& supportive friends over the years… it’s great to have Talented Friends!

Over the years, I’ve gotten to know a great watercolor artist on the art fair circuit.
She does beautiful paintings of birds and botanicals. And as she’s getting ready for
the kick-off of her art fair circuit, we’re getting a quick look at her newest piece!

Check out her website to see more watercolor works by Anne Gilna.
Go to my “Links” for a quick transfer to her website!

So… my friend, studio-mate and fellow TV Jeopardy player… Karen Patinkin
has finally made her online debut. Welcome to the wonderful blogosphere Karen!!!
Now don’t get too excited… she doesn’t have a new blog… she doesn’t have
a new website… although I keep urging her to jump on the blog band-wagon.
But today she was featured on a Chicago-based blog “Chicago Now” that features
great things around town. And today she’s being “exposed” as one of
“The Best Kept Secrets” after 30 years of making beautiful pottery!

Check her out on “her first blog posting… Karen Patinkin: Best Kept Secret