So we’re exactly one month away from ART IN THE GARDEN!
My next outdoor art fair… and a very special one at that! It’s a smaller show with a grassroots flair by a bunch of talented friends & artists. We’ve already got a few surprises up our sleeves… like another artist joining us with handmade glass! Plus… the collaboration projects are all under way! I know I’m working on three collaborations with three different artists so far… always fun to stretch out of our little studio “boxes” a bit to see what happens when we get a chance to play together!!!

We’ve been so dry lately, but yesterday’s rain really made some flowers happy! Like this beautiful new dahlia that is looking so radiant today! Pretty excited as this is the first dahlia I’ve ever grown… and there are some more blossoms coming in behind this one! Methinks I might need to add more to my garden next year?!!!

Looks like my pal Allison is enjoying her morning meal… with a bit of sunshine streaming in! Looks yummy… especially as she’s using one of my “handbuilt-wheelthrown-combo” mugs!

And by the way… we’re still looking for a better name for them!!!

After last night’s windy thunderstorm, it was great to see the clouds had moved through, the roads were relatively dry & the sunrise was getting back to normal. Better than yesterday’s… but still nothing too glamorous! Fingers crossed for tomorrow…

With a quick reminder that I have plenty of handmade mugs currently in my ETSY Shop… including several of my new “handbuilt-wheelthrown-combo” mugs! Plenty of patterns, textures & soda-fired finishes for everyone!!! Feel free to check ’em out whenever you’ve got time… https://www.etsy.com/shop/FireWhenReadyPottery

And what better way to end an evening with friends than with some yummy deep dish pizza from Lou Malnati’s?! Great fun & conversation combined with gooey cheese, tomatoes, spinach, butter crust & garlic dressing as a dipping sauce!!!

And if that weren’t enough… there “might” have been some frozen custard at Lickety Split that followed… allegedly.

The third member of the Sculpture Show in Evanston this weekend was Steve Skinner from Black Tree Studio Pottery… and it was these large platters on the wall with miniature houses that caught my attention. For more information on Steve’s work, click on www.blacktreestudiopottery.com

As part of the Sculpture Show in Evanston this weekend, another one of “My Talented Friends” was showing off her sculptural work too. Darlys Ewoldt makes these amazing metal sculptures… hollow forms assembled & colored. I have no real concept of how she makes metal do this… but they are always crazy cool forms that draw you right into them! For more work by Darlys, click on her website at www.darlysewoldt.com

So much fun to spend time with one of “My Talented Friends” today… as metalsmith Sarah Chapman was part of a sculpture show this weekend in Evanston. I had the chance to swing by today to see Sarah with some of her newest work, sculptural pieces & beautiful jewelry. To see more of Sarah’s amazing metal work, click on www.chapmanmetals.com

Meanwhile, back at camp… last week in my morning Wheelthrowing Camp, it looks like I might have a young protege in the making?!!! My summer campers were trimming & decorating their wheelthrown pots on Friday, and suddenly Umah started making this gem of a stamped bowl.

She may have a few more years to go…
but maybe she’ll make a great apprentice some day???