For the final class of my Intermediate Wheel class this session, we decided to do a trading-stealing-exchanging-White Elephant kind of game… with the category being large serving bowls. We had so many beautiful bowls in the mix… that all got mixed up, traded up & each went home to new homes!

Maya has been in my Intermediate Wheelthrowing class for awhile now… still working on her platters! Her plan is to do a “constellation” installation at home of about a dozen large platters all with a theme of leaves… but done in different sizes & surface decoration techniques! Can’t wait to continue this journey with Maya when she returns for my Spring class too!

Always a stunning night when you go to the Nederlander Theatre in Chicago. Beautiful architecture, interior design & crazy-cool craftsmanship everywhere you look. And that’s well before you even get to see the talent onstage!!!

Eternal flame at Chicago’s Daley Center Plaza… honoring those who have served.

Looking over the shoulder… the Chicago Picasso from a less well-known vantage point! And the view that I think “explains” a lot. Notice the profile silhouette that lines-up if you pay attention as you walk around it. Brilliant… and I love that so many people have never seen this!!!

You know how my students “love” a good challenge… so my Intermediate Wheel class once again asked for a “fun” challenge project to work on throughout last session. I decided to challenge them with “Stacking Mugs.” A set of four or more matching mugs that stack well… and have some sort of design that ties them all together when stacked, but still look cool individually. I think they all stacked up quite nicely!

All signs point to YES.

One of my Beginning Wheel students had a glaze run & some kiln wash on the bottom of her bowl. She was trying her best to get it off… and then I offered up my DiamondCore Grinding Bat for Carly to borrow. We put it on her wheel, wet the pot & the bat… and then spun really fast & pressed the bowl down!!! Voila’… smooth & clean! One of the best tools ever… thank you DiamondCore!!!

Excited to see that several of my orchids at home have been sending up new flower spikes… and this is the first one to start blooming! I’m looking forward to a colorful Spring as they all begin to splash their colors high on graceful stems!

Another beautiful morning… more clouds & more colors! Sure, there was a bit more wind too, but well worth it when you get to pedal along the lakefront and watch THIS happen the whole time! Still the best way to start my day!