A few more “treasures” revealed as I unloaded my soda kiln tonight. I’m pretty excited about these new larger lidded jars… they all turned out GREAT!!! Can’t wait to show them off in two weeks at my Holiday Home Show! Always the weekend before Thanksgiving. Mark your calendars!!!

Here’s a wonderful set of bowls that one of my students made. Vanessa was in my class a couple sessions ago and never had a chance to glaze her bowls. Well, she’s back in class this session… and finally glazed her bowls. And for those who might not get it… like me… they imagery inside each bowl is cranial sutures. Kind of scientific. Kind of anatomical. Kind of BRILLIANT!!! Well done Vanessa!!!

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So my pottery students are doing great this session. They’re all returning “beginners” so we’ve been doing a little bit more than a true “beginner’s” class. And I love when we get to this stage of the class. We’re entering Week Eight of their ten week session. So at this point, they’re making a LOTS of pots. And I love seeing them all bring their finished pot to share in class. So great to see them admiring, critiquing, sharing information and being so supportive & encouraging of each other. Such a great group of students this Fall session… all making great pots and having a great time!!!

Since my pottery students are all doing so great this session. I decided it was time for a “POP QUIZ.” I handed out folded sheets of paper. Told them each to choose a number between one and ten… and write it on the outside of their folded paper. After they had all chosen their numbers, I had them open the sheets to find out what their number “decided” their challenge was to be!!! They all tackled the challenge… and they seemed to appreciate being “pushed” out of their comfort zone and being “forced” to try something new that they might not do on their own. I love Pop Quizzes!!!

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I’m kinda excited about this latest batch of lidded jars. I went a little larger this time… racing to get things made for next Saturday’s soda kiln. Even more importantly, in time for the Holiday Home Show which is coming up all too quickly. Always the weekend before Thanksgiving… just three weeks away?!

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So it’s been exactly two weeks since I became an IRONMAN.
Things have gotten back to normal… less training, more pottery…
but I still can’t bring myself to cutting off my official IRONMAN wristband!!!

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Take a quick drive up to the Galena area for TWENTY DIRTY HANDS. It’s a fun weekend pottery tour featuring the studio & pottery of my friend Delores Fortuna… two of the twenty hands! She just opened a kiln of new work and is opening her studio for the weekend. My friends & fellow potters Roberta Polfus & Amy Higgason will also be guests of Delores sharing their beautiful pottery as well.

Click here for more about the Twenty Dirty Hands website.

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Early morning peek into the soda kiln. Looks good so far. Took out the top rows of brick to help with cooling. Unloading this evening… with everything heading to ART IN THE BARN this weekend in Barrington.

Still glazing LOTS of pots for tomorrow’s soda kiln firing.
Just goes to show that small pots need small stamps!!!

Huge congratulations to one of my favorite teachers ever!!! Steven Young Lee and his new gallery show at the Renwick Gallery in Washington DC. Amazing pots. Fantastic artist. Incredible teacher. Thank you Steven for sharing your art, knowledge & passion with the rest of us!

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One of my pottery students has been traveling in Moscow!!!
Katie was excited to see an old kickwheel there… and even more excited to see that they love OREO’s in Russia too!!! Unfortunately, they have the same flavors we have. I was hoping they might have some crazy Rooskey flavors that she could have smuggled back for us!!!

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