After showing my pottery class how to make “bowls-on-purpose,” we switched to doing some fun alterations & surface decoration techniques. I kinda feel like the wheel makes nice round things for you… but then YOU need to do something to it to make it YOURS!!! So I showed them a few things to play with!!!

Bowl #1 – Plain… this is how all of the bowls started out!

Bowl #2 – Four Fluted Edges

Bowl #3 – and if four were nice, maybe Eight Fluted Edges is better?!

Bowl #4 – a One-Inch Flared Flange of a rim

Bowl #5 – and if one-inch was nice… maybe a Three-Inch Flared Flange would be better?!

Bowl #6 – combined a Flared Flange with some Four Fluted Edges

Bowl #7 – two sharp indentations that will eventually be a good place for a Basket Handle.

Bowl #8 – a Split Rim that has been pinched back together in eight places

Bowl #9 – a Split Rim dented in at four places

Bowl #10 – a Split Rim dented in & dented out… four in & four out.

Bowl #11 – a little dragonscaling tool indented on the bottom

After some fun bowl alterations… I also introduced using colored slips as a decorative option. Basically adding a layer of colored clay of a change of color, or for a textural accent inside the bowl. I did my demos with white slip to accentuate the thick slip textures.

Bowl #12 – thick white slip with a Spiral dragged through to reveal the clay body contrast.

Bowl #13 – thick white slip with bands dragged through

Bowl #14 – thick white slip with some decorative Chattering for a cool pattern

Bowl #15 – an ombre’ blend of black & white slips then a finger tip Squiggle through it all.

This past Tuesday in my Beginning Wheel class, we tackled making “bowls on purpose, instead of cylinders gone bad.” So I showed them the basics of how to get a nice smooth curve inside their bowls. And then while they practiced, I made “a few” more! Just one bag of clay… getting ready for Part Two of the night’s “not-so-basic-bowl” demo!!!

After the weekend’s art fair… and my booth flowers are still looking pretty good!
A little flash of Fall floral in a stamped & soda-fired oval vase!

On a beautifully sunny day, it’s nice to see a little visitor in the garden. I haven’t seen a lot of monarchs this summer… but I’m guessing their migration must be soon?! One quick snack before the arduous journey heading south?! Take your time… and bring your friends.

Celebrating another yummy holiday… late night snacks tonight for NATIONAL HOMEMADE COOKIE DAY!!! Special thanks to Christine for making these yummy pumpkin spice oatmeal chocolate cookies for our pottery class last night!!!

Pretty orange roses in a pretty orange vase!
Stamped & soda-fired little mini vase with some little spray roses…
always fun in my favorite color!!!

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who came out to “Art In The Barn” this weekend. It was so much fun seeing everyone, sending a lot of pottery off to its new forever home… and the fact that it turned out to be my most successful show in The Barn yet doesn’t hurt either!!! Thanks again!!!

Clouded reflections with just a few fleeting moments of sunrise peeking through… before disappearing behind the clouds again. Luckily for us, the clouds moved out later in the day and we had a beautiful day. Perfect for the first day of October!!!

A simple orange wildflower to make you smile on this beautiful Monday in Chicago!

Gotta love when one of your art fair friends brings homegrown tomatoes to share for a lunchtime snack!!! Just wish I had a bowl to put them in… oh, wait a minute… I think I do!!! Thanks Cheryl for sharing… and if you come to The Barn, she’s directly above me with her beautiful mixed-media paintings!