I’ve always said that “the best part about biking, is STOPPING.”

Stopping to appreciate your surroundings.
Stopping to enjoy time with friends.
Or in this case… stopping to see Nancy sitting on a large egg in an even larger nest!!! Silly moments with friends… part of a perfect day on our bikes.

Stopping. Relaxing. Friends.

As we pedaled our bikes north today along the lake, we made it to Openlands Lakeshore Preserve… and found that it is STILL closed to the public!!! And with a sign that you don’t get to see very often… EXPLOSIVES??? Really?!

Apparently the found some live ammunition there left over from the war when Fort Sheridan was an actual military fort. Who knew?! Kinda crazy that it’s still closed for several months now?!… better safe than sorry I guess?!

So I took a much needed mental & physical break from my “ghouls production” in the studio this morning! And went for a quick 70-mile ride up to Waukegan “for ice cream” and back with my friend Nancy. We had a beautiful ride, and were struck with the beauty around the Skokie Lagoons… good thing I’m not allergic to goldenrod!!! But never fear… I’ll be back at it in the studio later this evening!!!

Made some good progress on the newest Ghoul today.
Still have a LONG ways to go… but for now, they’re under wraps for the night!

One of the best parts of throwing forty “Ghoul Heads” in one day… is that by the time you get to the end, it’s already time to start trimming the bottoms of the first ones! It’s been a VERY productive day in the studio… and it kinda had to be. Deadlines approaching quickly!!!

Another batch of balls… another batch of Ghouls!!!
Next weekend is ART IN THE BARN… after a long year’s hiatus… so it’s time to introduce a new member into The Ghouls Collection!

Giddy-up Ghouls!!!

The newest pumpkin harvest is coming together nicely… with happy faces smiling back at me! Hoping to get them all painted, glazed & fired before next weekend’s ART IN THE BARN!

After a great art fair last weekend, I felt compelled to replenish the inventory with some new pieces. So I’m laser-focused on getting more new work ready for ART IN THE BARN in Barrington…. working fast, as it’s just a week away!!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 26th & Sunday, September 26th on the grounds of Advocate Good Shepard Hospital.

An early start to another beautiful day!
It’s gonna be a nice one… so get outside & play!!!

One of the funniest collaborations at ART IN THE GARDEN last weekend were the funky chickens made by Cory McCrory & Jill Miller. As artists we love the chance to “play” with another artist to see what happens! I’m sure these two had a great time creating these fantastic creatures… with Jill dyeing the fabric & Cory making the ceramic body parts!!!