Imagine my surprise & sudden excitement when I saw these cases of OREOs in the back hallway by the freight elevator at Lillstreet Art Center. I was taking my summer campers up to the rooftop for lunch… and we all saw these boxes of yumminess!!! SO EXCITING!!! Until we realized they were just OREO crumbles for the “First Slice” kitchen to make as a cookie pie crust. mwah, mwah, mwah…

With some colored slips, the kids’ handbuilt mugs really came together today! They finished up detailing their handbuilt mugs, and then added a layer of colored slips to bring them to life. After they’re bisque fired, a layer of clear glaze will make then shiny & a bit more colorful. So much fun to see these projects come together with some great Summer Campers!!!

On Thursday, my morning summer campers did a handbuilding project… making handbuilt slab mugs with a theme! I challenged them to make two mugs that “go together” to tell a creative story… like day & night… like fire & water… like Harry Pottery & Voldemort!!! They may look a little “crusty” & “smudgey” right now, but I’m confident that when we add some colored slips they’ll all come together. I mean, they’re so cute already…

So this was another week of Wheelthrowing & Handbuilding Camp with some adorable summer campers! I had more great kids this week… younger in the morning & older in the afternoon. They all did a great job… although some threw themselves into their work a bit more than others. Quite literally for some!!!

Well, it’s another week of SUMMER CAMP!!!

And another week of wheelthrowing with the kids! Sure, they might get muddy, sloppy & dirty… but it all washes off. The only thing that doesn’t wash off is their contagious energy & endless smiles… even if they are hidden somewhere behind their masks!

Today at Summer Camp I received a beautiful bouquet of sunflowers & lovely note from my CIT Olivia. She worked with me for both weeks of Sculpture Camp and was a wonderful addition to my camps. But today was her last official day as a CIT. As a “Counselor-In-Training”, Olivia has been learning-the-ropes of summer camp from the teacher’s perspective. She’s been a “camper” with us before, but is now old enough to be part of the team! Olivia was a pleasure… and I hope she returns to help out with more summer camps real soon! Thanks for helping… and thanks for the note & flowers Olivia!

Well, we’re finishing up another week of Wheelthrowing Summer Camp… and what better way than by having the kids clean-up after themselves… and after some of the adults too! Once again they decided to push the reclaim clay through the grid & wash down the bucket.

Something I’ve NEVER seen an adult student do…
and never with such a cute face involved!!!

Another day of wheelthrowing in Summer Camp. Another day of kids “volunteering” to clean the floor as part of Summer Camp Rule #3… “Whatever mess you make, you WILL be cleaning up!”

And they did… and by “they” I mean the one who squeezed a wet sponge NOT over the sink!!! Thanks for playing along & “entertaining me” Agustina!!!

When they installed a new mosaic wall behind the sinks in the new Wheelthrowing classroom at Lillstreet… my first thought was “Who’s going to clean the splattered clay off of that?”

Well, today I found out… MY SUMMER CAMPERS… that’s who!!!
Today they asked what else they could do while we were cleaning up… so I told them… and they were more than happy to oblige!

So we’re back for another week of Summer Camp… and once again I’m in Wheelthrowing Camps all day! Sure, we could have them throw pots all day long, but they kinda like cleaning too! So why not have them tackle cleaning the community reclaim clay bucket?! The reason for the grid on the top is to press the clay through to make it smaller pieces for easier reclaiming later… a fact often lost on the adult students who just pile tons of clay on top! Not my kids though… they know to push it all through the grid! Thanks Emery & Hannah for making it happen today!