Chocolate. Pizza. Taylor… three of my favorite things all in one day!!!
What could be better? Decadent fun making chocolate pizzas with Taylor!
It’s not every day your favorite niece turns seven years old. Happy Birthday Taylor!!!
Yep… she’s the cutest one in the bottom right corner… the one with her tongue sticking out!
I’m sure this photo will be a proud moment for her Mom!!!

And here’s our tools for the day. Yum… and more yum!

We all started out making our chocolate pizzas. The “crust” was a layer of milk chocolate.
Followed by “sauce” of candy jimmies, “sausage” of gummie worms, “garlic” of M&Ms,
more sprinkles, more chocolate, more gummies, more fun and a drizzle of white chocolate
“parmesan cheese” to top it all off. Layers & layers of yummy goodness.

Imagine a room full of seven year old all hopped up on sugar! Too funny!!! And if you
look closely… you’ll also see my parents working in chocolate too! Taylor made sure that
her Grandma & Grandpa were playing in the mix. So focused on their yummy projects.

So here is Taylor’s masterpiece pizza… with lots of toppings! Many of them chocolate!!!

And here’s mine! We’ll just call it my “late night snack”…

Once the pizzas were done and off to the side, we switched to making chocolate
“ice cream cones” using plastic candy molds. Here’s Taylor working diligently to make her
chocolate treats just perfect! Drizzling chocolate, sprinkling candies and more!

It was a great birthday party for Taylor and several of her school friends.
They were all so cute. So funny. Playing. Working. Teasing. Interacting. Creating.
So focused in the beginning, a little looser and animated as they “snuck” more chocolate
into their mouths, and by the end… it was a real party!!!

And the best part… besides playing with Taylor the birthday girl…
is taking home a box full of chocolates that I’ve created for myself!!! Yummy…

Click here more information about The Morkes Original Party.
Morkes: The Chocolate Shop – 180 North Rand Road, Palatine, IL 60074 – (847) 359-3454

And then

Well, today was my day in front of the camera. Who knew?…
that my little “addiction” to kiln filler & textures might get me on HGTV?!
That making little textured rattles might get me noticed?! Crazy, huh?!

Let me back up a bit…

A little over a week ago, I was contacted by the Producer of an HGTV show.
You know, one of those shows where they go in and transform an average couple’s
home with cool design. Showing the creative choices, installation, design choices…
all leading up to the “Big Reveal” where the couple sees their new room for the very
first time. Well, this is one of “those” design shows!!! And here’s the host…

Yep… that’s Meg Caswell. Winner of HGTV Design Star season six.
One of those Reality TV shows where they compete in design challenges weekly
and get voted off one by one. Until the last one is standing… and she gets a TV Show!!!

The initial contact came through the Producer who did a search and found my work
on the Internet. Good thing I’ve been keeping my blog up-to-date, huh?! She contacted
me and asked if I would be interested in creating some custom ceramic knobs & door pulls
for the kitchen they are renovating. So of course I was intrigued… and FULL of questions.
We did some e-mailing back & forth, including some samples & “mood boards” being
shared. She also stopped by my studio to check it out, meet with me… which I now realize
was probably also my “audition.” Once we had worked out the details, I was in…
and now facing a production deadline to get all of the knobs & pulls done in time
for the “Big Reveal” taping.

Luckily, we came upon a creative solution… where I would make the knobs in a very
similar style to the textured Relic Rattles I’ve been making for about a year. Handbuilt
stoneware, textured, stained and fired to cone 10… minus the rattles! The plan gave us
different shapes, different textures and different stain colors to play with. I gave the
Producer a few samples that she shared with Meg. Her choice was to go with two shapes,
each with their own texture, and one stain color for continuity.

So I’ve already made the knobs… “squares” for the cabinet knobs, and “horns” for the
drawer pulls. They’ve already been bisqued in my last kiln… look closely, they were the
“still too wet” pieces sprinkled around the kiln… masquerading as simple “kiln filler.”

Today was my day in front of the camera!
Complete with Meg, a full crew, professional lighting, wireless microphones, makeup,
craft services, the whole “shebang”! I guess I never quite expected the full production?!
But there I was, suddenly in front of the camera, with Meg… cameras rolling!

The plan was that we were going to do a little banter, discuss the project, look at a few
rattles I’ve made as samples, do some interactive demos where she plays with clay,
and so on. Everything went really well… despite the fact that it was SO hot in the studios!
No one expected 80-degree days in mid-March… so no one planned on air conditioning.
I’m sure we’re both going to be glistening with sweat. Even though the makeup guy did a
couple touch-ups along the way.

Hopefully they got some good shots of my work and my studio while they were there.
And the witty repartee and banter with Meg will come off well on-screen. Even though
I’m pretty confident that my hours & hours of “brilliant, Emmy-award worthy” footage
will be edited down to a mere 20 seconds or so!

We finished the initial filming – the interactive studio work with Meg… “the Talent.”
Then they left for a short time to do some prep-interviews that will be spliced into the show.
While they were gone, I set up two more demo areas so that they film some B-roll film
that they might intersperse – montage shots of me working on the actual knobs!
Complete with a change of wardrobe to make it “appear” as though time has passed
and the process is well on its way making the actual hardware the homeowners will see
in the “Big Reveal.”

So… that’s the story so far.
I’ve kept it to myself for the most part. It was kind of in the category of “too good to be true.”
I didn’t want to hype the project until I was sure it was going forward. I was afraid that the
plug might be pulled at any time… apparently, not to worry. It was a very professional
production. All of the people were great to work with. And I wouldn’t mind doing it again!

I just hope I don’t look too stupid on screen.
Or too sweaty…

When I find out the air date, I will definitely keep you posted.
I will also do a blog entry about the step-by-step process of the actual pieces I’m making.
Until then… you’ll need to wait for the “Big Reveal” also!!!

The city was beautiful this morning. The sky was clear and the sun was shining!
And surprisingly warm… so I decided to ride my bike downtown to watch them dye
the Chicago River a beautiful shade of Irish Green! An annual tradition here in Chicago.
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY CHICAGO!!!

Let the games begin… and let the color “splash” across the Chicago River.

So the first boat drops the orange dye into the water… yes ORANGE!!!
The orange powder surprisingly turns an oddly phosphorescent lime green in the water!
As the powder is dropped in, the second boat follows closely to stir it up into the river.

After several passes back & forth, the river has taken on a vibrant shade of green.
Striking as it spreads and changes the entire look of downtown for one Irish day!

The dyeing of the river is an annual tradition, and yet somehow, I’ve never been downtown
to actually see them do it. But this being a Saturday, and an unusually sunny & warm day,
I thought it would be fitting to ride my bike down. I thought I was on top of my game.
Until I saw a bunch of kayakers in the river… color me JEALOUS!!!…
thinking I might need to try that next year?! What better vantage point could you find, huh?

And to top off the morning… they were passing out free swag!
Well it’s not my favorite flavor, but it was free… and oddly fitting for today! I guess their
marketing team gets this one day each year to promote their product!

Just eight weeks from today!
The premier pottery event in the Midwest!

20th Annual St. Croix River Valley Pottery Tour
Friday, May 11, 2012 – 10:00am-6:00pm
Saturday, May 12, 2012 – 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday, May 13, 2012 – 10:00am-5:00pm

Mark your calendars and plan a weekend get-away to surround yourself with incredible
pottery at every turn. There are seven studio stops on the tour, with 49 incredible potters
along the way! Each one better than the next. Each one with a distinctive style. Each with
years of experience. Each with incredible pots!!! So hard to narrow it down… so I’ve picked
out the Top Ten Potters that I’m looking forward to seeing. Some are perennial favorites,
some are friends, and others are new… and may just “need” to join my collection?!

Bob Briscoe – Always the first stop of my tour! Bob’s studio location is beautiful as it
overlooks a quaint pond & woods. Then, to make it even cooler, he puts up several large
white tents and fills them with a LOT of incredible pots and potters! Bob makes these
incredibly funtional; pots with great glazes & textures. Nothing too fancy. Just a great pot.
In fact, I have a set of bowls that Bob made that are perfect for my Thai food addiction!

Matt Metz – One of the favorites on my tour. Luckily, he’s one of the guest potters
at Bob Briscoe’s studio. So when I start my day at Bob’s, I can “have my pick” of all Matt’s
treasures before they get snatched up. I’ve acquired quite a collection of his work…
including this platter which I got last year!

Simon Levin – Guest potter at Guillermo’s place, Simon gets these incredible flashing effects.
Generally I’m not a huge fan of wood-fired pottery. But Simon Levin is the exception!

Steven Hill – I’ve known Steven for several years now, and enjoy seeing him whenever I get
the chance. His glazing effects are stunning. With glazes running, dripping, crystalizing and
working it out all over every pot! Over the past few years, Steven has switched from cone 10
reduction firing to cone 6 oxidation… all the while keeping the integrity of his glazing
techniques. Can’t wait to see him up in Minneapolis. To laugh with him & see his new pots!
Maybe he’ll finally have some dinnerware ready for me?! Yep… I’m waiting Steven…

Delores Fortuna – I’ve know Delores now for several years, but definitely getting to
know her better over the past couple. Delores is an occasional teacher at Lillstreet Art
Center so I get to see her when she comes around. Unfortunately, her class is typically
on Tuesday night… which is the same night as my class! So I can never take her class?!!!

Ellen Shankin – Beautiful forms with sweet glaze combinations. When I first started taking
pottery classes, Ellen had some pots in the Lillstreet Gallery. Even back then, I was still drawn
to her pots. Now that I have more experience & clay knowledge… I still appreciate her work.

Silvie Granatelli – Textures, patterns & colorful glazes that accentuate the details.
If you want to get some of her work, you need to get to the Tour early… her “good stuff”
gets snatched up quickly!

Mary Barringer – Somehow, I have yet to get a Mary Barringer piece?!
How has that happened? I love her subtle textures, and minimal pop of color.

Suze Lindsay – Whimsical illustrations, forms and designs… and soda fired to boot!
I appreciate her simple brush techniques – how deliberate her work is, and yet still very
spontaneous looking. Suze’s style is one of those I “appreciate” but know that I would never
be able to duplicate! I think I’m just a bit too tightly wound… some say anal-retentive!

Josh DeWeese – I first met Josh DeWeese at the old Lillstreet Art Center. He stopped by
several years ago for a weekend workshop. I was still pretty young in my ceramics career.
So it will be interesting to see his work again now that I know more, and appreciate more!

Well, that’s just ten of the 49 incredible potters that will be part of the annual tour!
Of course, there are always a couple surprises along the way. New potters to the tour
who catch your fancy. Or artists who may have new work that catches your eye. Of course,
there a few “missing” from the tour that I was looking forward to seeing. What happened to
Ryan Greenheck & Laurie Shaman?! I got my first Ryan Greenheck pieces last year and
LOVE ‘EM!!! I was definitely looking forward to more of Ryan’s “perfectly” glazed pieces!!!
What the heck?… no Greenheck?!

Mark your calendar and make plans to see a lot of beautiful pottery. Start saving your money
because you’re going to need it… unless you have more restraint than I do! Even if you’re not
planning on purchasing any pots, it’s still a great adventure. So many beautiful things. That
region of Minnesota is beautiful. And the artists are all there and willing to chat. Last year,
we had a great conversation with Bob Briscoe & Suze Lindsay. Hope to talk with them
again this year!

Check their website for complete details, dates, maps & artist information…
www.minnesotapotters.com

So it seems like everything is coming together nicely…
and my “intriguing proposition” project is coming to fruition soon.
I can’t quite reveal it all yet… but here’s another hint.

Don’t get too excited… it’s really not THAT big of a deal.
More to come!

Tonight I went out to LaGrange to play with my friend Nancy at her pottery studio.
If you recall, Nancy is also the one who got me started in pottery several years ago.
She’s also one of  Village Potters in LaGrange… and they’re preparing for their
charity event “Empty Bowls.” They’re hosting two open house days for people to come in
to throw bowls. I can’t make either of those days, so I went out tonight so we would have
time to play, chat and make some bowls!!! I made a dozen “empty bowls” for the cause…
and one larger one for them to auction off!

Tonight’s “empty bowl” production reminded me of the night I teach my class
how to make bowls. We work on making bowls with intention, and not a cylinder gone bad.
And then I make a lot of bowls and show my students quickly how that can be altered, fluted,
pinched and shaped to make each one different from the next. So each of my twelve bowls
had a different look. Nancy will be responsible for trimming and glazing to get them ready
for their April 26th “Empty Bowls” charity event.

Many of the potter/owners come from the former Terra Incognito in LaGrange.
When that Terra location closed, they needed a place to work… so they banded together
and opened this great studio space! They’re still in the fledgling stage, but growing quickly!

While many of them are there for studio hours, Village Potters do offer classes and workshops
for people of all ages. They also have shelf space for rent for potters out there who need to
find a place to work. They also have a nice Gallery space at the entrance. So if you’re ever
in need of some fine pottery, or a quick gift, be sure to stop by the Village Potters…
and tell them that Gary sent you!!!

Village Potters : 333 North LaGrange Road, Suite 2, LaGrange Park, Illinois 60526
(708) 352-2330  :  www.villagepotters.com

One of the best parts of my “glitter gig” is working with great clients
who have wonderful ideas for the fantastic parties they want us to make for them!
I get to meet with the client, figure out what they’re looking for and then figure out
how we’re going to make it happen! And then let the fun begin…

This weekend was a wonderful party at a private residence in  north suburb of Chicago.
They wanted a spectacular Chinese New Year Party… and we made it happen!
One of the biggest things they wanted was an impressive entrance treatment in front
of their house so they guest would have to enter through it. So I drew a few sketches,
took it down to the shop and talked it over with our fabricating team. They made a few
minor suggestions… and then I did more specific renderings to scale, separating the layers.
As they started building my version of a Chinatown gate, I was picking colors and deciding
what Chinese symbol should be on each side. We ended up with “Friendship” as the guests
arrived, and “Prosperity” as they were leaving the party.

The Chinatown gate was installed during the day… and then theatrically lit for the evening’s
festivities. With the dramatic colors, it almost looked like it was part of the house.
The clients loved it… and the guests were thrilled and many used it as a photo-op before
entering the party! Always thrilling for me to see the ideas in my head become a reality!

Every year, Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo becomes ablaze in holiday color & sparkle.With
the trees and buildings being splashed & adorned with festive lights of all colors & kinds.

Tonight, after a quick trip to Winter WonderFest at navy Pier, Amy and I spent the
evening wandering around the zoo taking in the lights & colors of “ZooLights.”
It was a perfect night… crisp & cool, but not freezing cold – and still no snow!

Sure anyone can wrap a tree with lights. And some were better than others.
I appreciate who they rapped the trunks & branches instead of trying to sting a “ball”
around the upper branches as though there were leaves still on the tree. And I really hate
when you can still see the string-line of the lights loosely draped throughout a tree.
I think highlighting the actual structure of the tree is so much more intriguing!

And then… as it there weren’t enough sparkle, color & fun…
I decided to take it one step further. Sure, the light-covered-canopy-tunnel was cool.
But with just a little movement of the camera and you can “paint” with color! And I did…

As part of my “glitter gig”… I had a great time tonight converting the Park West into a fantastic
circus atmosphere, complete with a huge “tented” canopy ceiling! The event was a corporate
holiday party… and a LOT of fun for me to design. With an elephant truss entrance, circus ring
buffets, a lion cage buffet, and a makeup mirror buffet that isn’t quite as glamorous as the rest.

Plus, what’s a circus without a ringmaster?! And that ringmaster needs to have his own trailer.
Which also became the photo-op for Santa… err, the Ringmaster. Complete with evergreen
swags decorated with popcorn & circus peanuts. Yeah, the stale orange marshmallows!!!

The circus was bright and flashy, yet as with all circuses, the veneer has slipped a bit.
If the guests looked closely, there were a lot of flaws in the veneer… like the makeup area
with a dead bouquet of flowers, smudged make-up mirrors, photos & clippings of clowns
from the past, reliquary candles and even a forgotten record player still skipping on an
old-fashioned LP album of “Send In The Clowns.” Oh yeah, did I mention the hairbrushes
& rollers with hair still in them?! Like I said, not everything at the circus is pretty!

But then we all know that the circus attracts an “eclectic” group of employee carnies!
Many of them evading the law and hiding out in the circus… or traveling under a few different
aliases and making their own passports. Poker chips, liquor bottles, spilled popcorn, lottery
tickets, stolen license plates and more!

Yes… that’s Cooky the Clown with AND without his makeup!

While the weather outside is by no means frightful…
it finally snowed today INSIDE Navy Pier! Christmas has come early!
Okay, so maybe it’s just fake “glitter” snow… but none the less, it’s snow!

It’s all part of my ongoing “glitter gig”… and this is a prime example of why I’m wearing glitter
a lot more frequently than I should be. In fact, that’s why I call it my “glitter gig.” Well this “gig”
is to convert the cavernous Festival Hall on Navy Pier into a Winter WonderFest. Complete
with an indoor ice skating rink, carnival rides, entertainment and some of the best holiday
decorations anywhere in the city! It’s a great holiday activity for kids of all ages! And “my part”
of the fun is decorating the Santa’s Village & Reindeer Express. A quaint little holiday town
where a train drives kids around to see the Village. It’s my job to make sure it’s “magical”
for the kids every year! And a little more glitter makes the snow sparkle… like it’s almost real?!

And in the center of the Village is the 42-foot Christmas Tree that can be seen from all ends
of Festival Hall. Decorated with thousands of lights & ornaments, and hundreds of golden
presents for the toy soldiers to stand guard over.