Besides the swans & ducks, there was also a great blue heron that kept stopping by the art fair this weekend. So cool to see him up-close… right behind my art fair booth! So beautiful… yet kind of prehistoric at the same time?!

Sure, there was plenty of ART at the art fair this weekend… but there was also a lot of nature to enjoy right behind my booth! Like the pair of nesting swans in the pond. So beautiful, so graceful. I especially loved watching the male “protect the pond”… chasing away any Canada Goose that happened by. Other waterfowl seemed okay… but NOT the geese!!!

HUGE THANKS to everyone who came out to the Schaumburg Prairie Arts Festival this weekend. It was a beautiful weekend… as we avoided the overnight rains Saturday night. It was a wonderful weekend out in the park – the perfect setting with plenty of trees, the pond, a fountain & blue skies! A great start to my summer art fair season!

Kicking off the holiday with a beautiful sunrise bike ride. Just trying to enjoy the lakefront in all of its serene beauty… before “MY” bike trail gets “invaded” by the crowds flocking to the lake to celebrate the holiday. HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

The SCHAUMBURG PRAIRIE ARTS FESTIVAL is today & tomorrow from 10:00am-5:00pm.
I’ll be in the same location as last year in Booth 96… on the “other side of the pond”
from my usual pre-construction location. Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

A simple single flower can make a centerpiece statement with the right ikebana vase… pin frog included inside to support your flower stems. I’ll have a good assortment of them this weekend at the Schaumburg Prairie Arts Festival while there are plenty of Spring flowers waiting to grace your table!

Okay, back at it… prepping, pricing & packing! Going through a LOT of mugs getting them ready for my first couple art fairs! Schaumburg this weekend… and the Northern Illinois Pottery Tour in just two weeks!!! Gotta stay focused…

Always fun to see my students playing with my SURFACE DECORATION techniques after the class demo. Like Maya & Taylor who were thrilled by their results so far! Beautifully done team!

Last night in my SURFACE DECORATION class, we played with “mishima” for this week’s technique. Basically you start with a leatherhard piece, coat it with wax… and then carve through & into the clay with a sharp blade. Once your carving is complete, you cover it with underglaze. It seeps into all of the cut lines… but the wax “protects” the background. Then you carefully wipe off the top surface to reveal your new “line drawing” on your pot. The wax will disappear during bisque during… but the underglaze will stay inlaid in your carvings. A fun demo… and I’m kinda diggin’ my final demo piece!

So these little cuties decided pop-out in my patio flowerpots today. Too cute! Eventually they will become beautiful flowering vines that will climb up my “curtain of rusty gears.” C’mon… you can do this!!!