More parts & pieces being added to our collaboration pieces! Looks like Cory McCrory has been busy playing with some terra cotta… much different than her usual paper clay… to make some whimsical additions to my textured part of the collaboration! Can’t wait for the “big reveal” next weekend at ART IN THE GARDEN!!!

Another “sneak peek” into the ART IN THE GARDEN collaborations… this time it’s a glimpse into Cory McCrory’s studio! And some of the parts & pieces that she’s making to add onto our terra cotta birdhouses! I can’t wait to see how her whimsical handbuilding skills add to my birdhouses! Big debut next weekend in Glenview!

More info – www.grassrootsartfair.com

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!

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…

Celebrating another TEXTURE TUESDAY… with some textured terra cotta! All of these fun textures will be part of the collaboration project I’m doing with Cory McCrory this year for ART IN THE GARDEN. They’re coming together nicely… can’t wait to share more teaser photos! And what’s with the big round holes???

Here’s a quick glimpse of something that’s been going on in my studio lately… the beginning of something fun! Parts & pieces coming together as part of a new collaboration project with my buddy Cory McCrory for ART IN THE GARDEN!

One of my favorites from this week of Summer Camp…
Henry’s handbuilt fish mug… and of course, it’s a Pirate Fish with an eye-patch, right?!

Yeah… I don’t get it either… but its ADORABLE… and Henry was so excited about it!!!

This week my Summer Campers have been throwing on the wheels… learning from scratch in three days!!! But today we switched to handbuilding. So we pulled out some terra cotta, some fun texture tools and they set-off to making their mugs. A lot of little hands doing a lot of scoring & slipping. Only a couple hours and they all created some great handmade mugs!!!

And yes… they pulled their own slabs!!!
No rolling pins. No slab roller. Just the good old fashioned way… and they crushed it.

A sweet little setting for one of my terra cotta flower pots… planted up & sharing a space with a fun birdhouse. Thanks Karis for sharing your garden space with us!

Celebrating a little FLASHBACK FRIDAY with these wonderful chess pieces made by Mathieu last summer during Chess Camp at Lillstreet Art Center! He came in with a plan & made a wonderful version of the Terra Cotta Warriors. His chess set was all handbuilt with terra cotta in five days! He decided to keep his set unglazed to be more “authentic.” It was my favorite set of chess pieces from last summer!

And for those who don’t know… The TERRA COTTA ARMY was created by China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, who began the construction of the army in 246 BC after he (then aged 13) ascended the throne. It was an afterlife army for Emperor Qin. It was believed that objects like statues can be animated in the afterlife. The clay soldiers remained untouched for more than 2000 years, until 1974, when they were unearthed by Chinese farmers. Experts estimate there are more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots, and 670 horses.