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/

Celebrating another MUGSHOT MONDAY with a bunch of the stamped mugs that came out of my most recent soda firing. I’m always so excited when you open up the kiln and see such bright, soda-fired colors… and not all of the blasted “dolphin-skin” darkness that so many soda-fired pieces get. Remember, not all soda-fired pottery needs to be black, gray or brown!!!

So today I’m packing up many of these mugs to come with me to ART IN THE BARN next weekend in Barrington. Be sure to stop by… I’ll be in the Lower Barn as usual in my double booth!!!

Some of my favorite flowers in one of my favorite vases! A perfect combo for the back porch! Seasonal black-eyed susans in a stamped & soda-fired vase!

Working in the basement trying to prep, price & pack three kilns worth of pottery for my next two shows!!! A lot to do… plus I might be miSTAKEn… but these still need to be prepped for this weekend! High STAKEs to get them done in time… HA!… any guesses?… new for Art In The “Garden”… hint, hint…

Looks like Allyn has a morning ritual…
with another morning ritual that enhances the “first” morning ritual?!

Anyone else?

After applying a layer of tenmoku glaze into the stamped impressions. I wipe off the top surface with a damp sponge. This cleans the surface layer, but keeps the darker glaze in the stamps.

So here are my birdhouses for ART IN THE GARDEN… and oh, but wait there’s more… they are also part of a fun collaboration project. My buddy Cory McCrory is now going to work her whimsical magic on these birdhouses… adding her own special sense of humor, whimsy & color to each of them. I can’t wait to see what she does from here!!! Come to ART IN THE GARDEN on September 9th & 10th to see the final results in person!

Looks like Kristin is making some great progress in piecing together a beautiful mosaic for ART IN THE GARDEN. It’s a fun collaboration with one of my stamped frames to contain her “mosaic magic.” Can’t wait to see it in person in Glenview on September 9th & 10th… it’s one-of-a-kind… and it might go fast!!!

This project is for the BIRDS… quite literally!!! Yes, for this year at ART IN THE GARDEN I’m making a collection of birdhouses! Textured terra cotta with angled roofs & rings to hang them from… even ventilation holes under the eaves! Thus the power drill…

Looks like Kristin Conneely has been busy working her “mosaic magic” in her studio… still working on some collaboration pieces for ART IN THE GARDEN. It’s always so cool to see how different artists re-imagine things you’ve made for years… giving them a breath of fresh air!!! Can’t wait to see the finished pieces… September 9th & 10th in Glenview!

For more info… www.grassrootsartfair.com