And here we go… this is how my mug handles begin!
Little wedged clay nuggets ready to be pulled the traditional way!

HAPPY EASTER to everyone who celebrates… and HAPPY SPRING to the rest of us!
So pretty now that Spring has made it to Chicago with flowers starting to bloom around my neighborhood. Let’s hope these magnolias hang around for at least a few more days!

Clear skies with a chilled breeze coming in off the lake. Luckily, that big low-flying cloud mass that was moving up from the south didn’t quite make it in time to overtake the sunrise… I was waiting for it... as it kept creeping closer & closer…

This week in my SURFACE DECORATION class, we tackled stamping & sprigging. I showed them the basics of how I approach a pot, how try emphasize the shape & geometry of the pot with my stamps… and the most important part… how to stamp! Sure, not rocket-science, but there are a few tricks!!! I did my demos and then set them loose… with their own stamps they had made the week before, as well as some of my collection. Many of them had made their “homework” pieces to work on, but I was glad I had a made a bunch too so they had more to “play” with! I tried to emphasize how stamping can become addictive… and they heard the mantra more than once…

MORE IS MORE!!!

Hybrid mugs moving along! Trimmed the bottoms today on the wheel. You know how much I LOVE trimming & a good footring!!! Gives everything a sense of style & refinement.

White to black… and black to white. Just playing with some fun ombre’ blended slip colors. And then a little squiggling & chattering to add to the surface decoration & textures!

It’s another Floral Friday… this time with an oval vase full of orange tulips gracefully cascading to the side. I love how oval vases allow the flowers to spread more side-to-side… and not always so vertical like in normal vases. A little stamping… a little soda-firing… and a little soda flashing on “raw” unglazed B-Clay!!!

Beautiful clear skies except for a layer of clouds hanging low on the horizon. The temps were surprisingly warm & humid… totally feels like a nice Spring day. Although the clouds will be moving in later with a prediction of rain for this evening. But I’ll take it… a beautiful start and then some of those proverbial “Spring Showers.” And you know what those bring?!!!!

For tonight’s SURFACE DECORATION class, their homework assignment was to bring a couple soft-leatherhard pieces to class to work on… as tonight we’re focusing on Stamping & Sprigs. Well there’s a chance… hypothetically… that I “may” have made a few extra pieces for my students to work on in case they failed on their homework!!! Allegedly…

Some fresh new berry bowls just in time for some fresh Spring berries… also ready for my first few art fairs! First up… the Schaumburg Prairie Arts Festival on Memorial Day weekend. Well look at me trying something “new” by having these ready ahead of time!!! Shocking, I know!!!

You can check out this year’s art fair schedule by clicking here : Summer Art Fairs 2025.