A huge THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by my booth in Glenview this past weekend. I had so much fun seeing everyone, chatting with a bunch of pottery fans & watching a LOT of pottery go off to their new homes! We had amazing weather both days… especially under my shade tree with a nice cooling breeze!!!

Just finished my first week of Summer Camp…
and just decorating another platter in my studio after the kids have left!

So I finally have a “plan”… and I decided that soda-firing would be the better option to finish this amazing platter. My friend Kristen carved the pattern and I don’t want to “glop-it-all-up” with too much glaze filling it in. Instead, I waxed the interior section and then sprayed a thin layer of mustard slip around the rim. Being careful not to get too much in & avoiding drips. I will now let it dry, then bisque it. The wax will disappear from the interior then. I will glaze the center section, and probably do some glaze-inlay around the rim. The soda-firing should help accentuate the carved textures & the colored slip will hopefully pick-up some cool flashing marks during the firing. Fingers crossed… but we’ll need to wait over a month for my next soda kiln firing.

To see more of Kristen Holub’s cool carving technique… follow her on Instagram… @kayhoceramics

Another plate. Another stamp.
Just added a textured rim around this dinner plate!

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

After the “surprise” rain this afternoon… it was back into the studio to do a little more platter stamping. Changing a plain wheelthrown platter into a decoratively textured platter. All with just one handmade clay stamp pressed in over & over & over again!

By now you know my mantra… MORE IS MORE.

Why stop with a smooth platter with a good spiral?… when you could create a cool texture?! So much more fun when you start stamping with one handmade stamp. One stamp, two stamp, three stamp, more! Over & over & over again… just one stamped impression at a time!

Not only is today JUNETEENTH… but it is also the last day of NATIONAL CLAY WEEK… who knew?! So I hope you’ve taken some time to play in the clay, admire some ceramics or enjoyed your meals off of some handmade pottery this week! You still have time today… and send me photos if you use any of my pottery today! Enjoy today’s holidays!

Starting TOMORROW!!! I’m packing up now, loading car with tons of pots & headed to Sandwich soon to start setting up! Looking forward to a great weekend as part of the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR again this year. Hoping to see a lot of pottery-loving folks this weekend… come on by the Sandwich location first… and then head to the rest!!!

One last reminder! Hope to see some of you this weekend in Hinsdale!!! Even if it rains… as pottery looks even better when it’s wet!!! HA!!!