My friend Kristen who is currently a pottery collector, pottery lover & pottery student in my Monday night class… put together this wonderful stack of plates! The bottom “charger” plate is by my studio neighbor Karen Patinkin, my stamped green dinner plate in the middle… and then Kristen’s own blue spiraled salad plate on top! Not at all planned that way… but a BEAUTIFUL collection of plates. Different colors, different styles, from different times. And yet they look like they were meant to be this way!!!

Yesterday was the last Andersonville Farmers Market of the season… and I had to swing by to “stock-up” on a few things that might last me awhile. Including some apples fresh from the orchard. My plan was to get one apple of several different varieties to try some new flavors. It wasn’t until I got home and put them out on this platter that I “realized” that I have no idea what kind each one is?! So if I do LOVE a new variety… I’ll have no idea what kind it is!!! ugh.

And there it is… after “just a few” stampings! I’m always enamored by how the repetition of just one handmade stamp can transform a smooth platter into a crazy cool textured pattern. Each stamped pressed in one by one… by one… by one…

Here we go… the first stamp is always the toughest. Once you press that first one in, you’ve kinda committed to doing it all. And it’s difficult to stamp with my fingers crossed! HA!!!

Another night in the studio… tackling a class demo platter. Sure, I could leave it smooth & plain, but what fun is that? So instead… time to pick “the right” stamp!!!

Mark your calendar.. we’re just two days away from ART IN THE BARN!!! Where I’ll be in my usual booth spaces E4-E6 in the Lower Barn! Be sure to stop by to say hello!!!

For more info… http://www.artinthebarn-barrington.com/

One more reminder… in case you’ve missed any of my previous posts?… ART IN THE GARDEN is this weekend!!! Saturday & Sunday from 10:00am-5:00pm in Glenview. These sgraffito platters are just a couple of the collaboration projects you’ll find at the show. Amy Taylor & I have been working on these sgraffito pieces… but most of the other artists have been collaborating with each other as well. So there will be a LOT of one-of-a-kind collaborations you won’t find anywhere else! We’ve been having a great time working together on these pieces. We hope you come see the, in person!

For more details – https://www.grassrootsartfair.com/

Just a little sneak peek at some of the “characters” who will be showing up at ART IN THE GARDEN next weekend! Metalsmith Amy Taylor has been working on a few of my porcelain platters doing some adorable sgraffito carvings as part of our collaboration project. She’s created a whole menagerie to share with us at ART IN THE GARDEN… can’t wait to show them off in-person!

More info – www.grassrootsartfair.com

So I gave some porcelain platters & bowls to Amy Taylor with a band of black underglaze around the rims. I also gave her a couple of my favorite DiamondCore Tools for her to play with. Looks like she’s been doing some amazing sgraffito work for our collaboration pieces for ART IN THE GARDEN in Glenview. We’re all trying to finish up our collaborations as we’re just a week and a half away… mark you calendars for September 9th & 10th!

Click here for more info – https://www.grassrootsartfair.com/

Pretty plates for a tasty potluck… Monday night we celebrated our last class of the session with a yummy potluck. I brought the chocolate mousse cake, while Kristen made chocolate chip cookies! Food always tastes better on handmade pottery!!!