The weather was SO incredible… that some of our s’more Hershey’s chocolates began
to melt in the sun. With only a few options, Amy decided that her best option was
to eat it as “drinkable chocolate” fresh from the foil wrapper. Great idea… and I can
confirm that it works like a charm. But I had to double-check at least a couple times!

Many of you know that I’ve always said “it’s so nice to have talented friends.”
And this weekend, I get to play with some of my favorites! So if you can’t make it
to ART DETOUR, here’s a quick preview of my very artistic friends…

Amy Higgason : Pigeon Road Pottery
As the local Northwoods host of ART DETOUR, Amy invited a few of us to join her
at her studio & home for the weekend. Amy’s work is very detailed, textured and often
very illustrative. She splits her time between the carved, textured & glaze colored pots,
and the more illustrative “brown & black” collection.

Sarah C. Chapman : metalsmith
My favorite metalsmith… with unique designs using textures, inclusions and oxidized silver
to create one-of-a-kind pieces that can be worn everyday. Or special events. Or whenever!
I must admit I have quite a collection of Sarah’s work… and always hoping for more!

Wendi Powalisz : Back 40 Arts
With a vibrant color palette, Wendi creates this beautiful pictures which I think
tend to resemble “batik” paintings. Her Northwoods imagery is punctuated by her vivid
color choices. In addition to her two-dimensional works, Wendi also makes jewelry using
vintage glass beads, buttons & findings. Wendi also lives in a log cabin which her husband
built on 200 acres of woods. Her home & studio are “on the back forty!” Hence the name…

Kathy Furda : Northern Light Glass
Although Kathy wasn’t able to join us this weekend for ART DETOUR, her work was
on display in Amy’s studio space. The play of light streaming across & through her glass
windows & beads was quite refreshing. We all hope that Kathy and her family are all
doing much better. And we all missed having Kathy here to play with.

So there they are… the talented friends playing with me this weekend at ART DETOUR.
I hope you have a chance to come play with us. It’s a beautiful weekend in the Northwoods!
We’ve got lots of art… and lots of s’more fixins’ to share!!!

Well, today was the big day. After months of planning, the ART DETOUR
is finally here. Pots are made. Signs are painted. Luggage is packed.

So I spent the morning getting ready and packing my car. A little different this time
packing my own car… instead of having my “assistants” and their van at the ready,
I had to try and pack as much as I possibly could into my own RAV4. Something new
for me. How many shelves will fit? How many crates will fit? Tent on the roof???

Just after noon, I finally got in the car and started the trek north. It’s a beautiful
drive up to Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin. Especially once you get past Madison
and the Wisconsin Dells area. And as luck would have it, the sun was setting
just as I arrived in the Northwoods. Perfect scenery… perfect timing…

Amy was already hard at work setting up her studio. As the host of ART DETOUR,
she was setting up her studio space getting ready to show off Pigeon Road Pottery
and her “invited guest artists” for the weekend. So we took a break and went out for dinner…
including some wonderful fried cheese. We’re in Wisconsin after all…

Saturday we woke up very early to get Amy to her art fair. She still had some
setting up to do, and I was apparently her designated assistant. Since we had set up
the tent the day before, Saturday started with setting up tables, shelves and putting
out her wonderful pots. Check out her website for more at Pigeon Road Pottery.

Unfortunately, after only a couple hours, a huge storm came through and effectively
closed down the art fair. But as in true Northwoods style, just an hour after we closed
everything down & packed the cars, the sun came back out! But by then, the customers
and most of the artists were gone for the day! So we went to Dari-Maid for ice cream!!!

Back at the cabin, we again relaxed, and spent a little quality time in the hammock!

Unfortunately, before the sunrise could impress us again, the clouds rolled back in
and covered the sky. So it was time for another boat trip around the lake with my friend
Pam at the helm! Then back to more relaxing… and incredible grilled brats for dinner!!!

With last night’s surface decoration demonstrations…
including some techniques from my friend & potter Amy Higgason…
I was surprised with the HUGE coincidence of her posting some pictures
of her own work that she had done in her own studio up in Northern
Wisconsin that same day. So while we were “channeling” the carving style
of Amy Higgason, she was actually doing it too! And much better!!!

Here are some photos of the incredible platter she was working on…
See… THIS is how it’s supposed to be done!!! Stunning as always!!!

Check out more of Amy’s incredible work on her website or Facebook.
Search for Amy at Pigeon Road Pottery.

Last night in class, in between the sweets, we talked about surface decoration
and how my students can turn their own “plain” pots into very special pots!!!
We talked about trying a bunch of techniques, finding the one they love the
most – and then exploiting i doing as much as they can with it. So during class,
I started each of the demo bowls, but quickly found out there was not going to be
enough time to finish the bowls during class. So I finished them tonight in the
studio. And now they’re drying overnight. Tomorrow I’ll clean them up a bit,
and brush off all of the little burrs & crumbles on the pots!

First I did a quick demo on basic stamping… my favorite which they expected…

And then we talked more about slip and how you can put it on with a more
“painterly” technique. So I put on a layer of white slip, and then did some freehand
swirls with green slip. I hope my students liked it… when I came back to it tonight
I realized that I didn’t like it all that much. So I carved through it tonight.
Still not sure if I like it any better than just the slip?! We’ll see…

Then we moved on to carving, and we discussed the work of my friend Amy Higgason.
She stopped by last session for a class demo, and some of my students were there for
that. Unfortunately, Amy wasn’t in town last night – so I had to do my best to attempt
to carve the pot… in something slightly similar to Amy’s beautiful style. One of Amy’s
“disciples” from her demo last session was there as well… and Pam was excited to show
my class one of her pieces that she was currently carving ala Amy Higgason!!!

The next bowl was carved again.. and then we added sprigs. Another Amy trick!
Amy does this incredible work, and I hope she doesn’t mind that I tried to emulate
her style for the benefit of my class. I know they LOVED seeing the demo again!
Plus, one of my concave stamps worked perfectly as a sprig mold.

One more bowl… what to do?… what to do?…
So the last bowl is surprisingly plain & smooth on the outside… let’s work inside!

So I covered the inside of the bowl I covered with a layer of black slip. And then began
a discussion of sgraffito with my class. I started to carve through, but only did a couple
swipes – before I realized that I needed to focus a bit more on my own… and my students
needed to get back to their own bowl making!!!

You know I love making mugs.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… If I could only make one shape or form
for the rest of my pottery career, I would choose mugs. I love making mugs!
So tonight was a fun night as I opened up a bag of my newly reclaimed clay
and set out to make a “bag’s worth” of mug cylinders… which turned out to be 27.

It was extra fun tonight as my friends Pam & Pat just came back from a very long holiday
in Hawaii. They both came into Lillstreet tonight for a potluck, to see some friends
and so Pam could get back to making more pots… to finally get her hands dirty for
the first time this year!!! And since her husband Pat doesn’t work in clay, he came up
to my studio to chat and to watch me throw. I had a small challenge to see how quickly
I could throw all 27 cylinders. Turns out I can throw 27 wedged balls into “mug cylinders”
in about 90 minutes… which also included talking to Pat and watching part of a movie
while I was throwing!!! Not bad. But I’m sure the stamping, trimming, handle attaching,
drying, firing, glazing, firing, etc. will take a LOT longer!!!

It was also fun tonight as I finally got to give Pam her “belated” surprise Christmas present.
A couple weeks ago, Amy Higgason and I had dinner together and we decided to give one
of the bowls we made during our collaboration workshop to Pam. We had made five bowls
together. So Amy kept two, I kept two… and we thought Pam would love the fifth!!!
Pam has been in my class for the past couple sessions and was quickly enamored with Amy
and her techniques during the demo. We knew Pam would be thrilled… and she was!!!

It’s been a long time since potter-extraordinaire Amy Higgason stopped by
my beginner’s pottery class for a demonstration night of carvings, textures & patterns!
I posted the pictures from her visit way back on October 19th… go back and check it out!
I had dinner tonight with Amy at my favorite restaurant as she’s hanging out in the
Chicago area visiting with her Mom for the holidays before she heads back up to the
Northwoods. She finally got to see all of “our” collaborative pots… and now so can you!

For those of you who may have missed it the first time, here’s a brief recap…
I started by throwing all of the bowls and trying to get them “dried” enough for trimming,
stamping, carving, sprigging and all of the other fun decorative techniques that Amy and I
like to do to our pots! Our intention was to show how five “matching plain” bowls can easily
be transformed into five completely different bowls with a few decorative techniques.
People have asked if they would get to see the finished pieces… so here they are!

Amy trimmed, carved, textured and sprigged this bowl which was then glazed
in Josh Green and Temoku interior.

And blue carved bowl… without the dots, without the sprigs… with a groovy,
“wave” pattern around the bottom. Glazed in Josh Blue with a light spray of Temoku,
then line glazed with Temoku.

And another carved bowl showing off some of Amy’s more “illustrative & organic” style.
Glazed with Josh Green outside – and a beautiful Shino inside.

Plus, a collaboration bowl where I stamped, she carved, I squared & stamped again…
then liner glazed & inlaid glaze with Temoku and soda-fired for the final effect.

And the fifth bowl that I stamped in my own style then glazed with Josh Blue
and a slight spray-over of Temoku… and a nice, creamy Antique White inside.
Complete with Amy-inspired stylish foot-ring indentations!

So there’s the final chapter in my collaboration class & bowl demo with Amy Higgason.
We’re already talking about future projects. And trying to get Amy back to Lillstreet for
some sort of future workshops & demonstrations!!!

Remember, you can always check out more of Amy’s “solo” work at Pigeon Road Pottery.
www.PigeonRoadPottery.com

Tonight was a special night for my Beginning & Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing
class at Lillstreet Art Center. My friend Amy Higgason from the Northwoods was
passing through Chicago and stopped by for a fun evening of dinner, conversation…
and a wonderful demonstration of her fantastic decoration techniques for my class!

Amy was once a Lillstreet Studio Artist back at the original location. She has since
moved on to the Wisconsin Northwoods – and set herself up as Pigeon Road Pottery.
I was up there a couple weeks ago for her Fall Art Tour – and it was great to have her
stop by my class! What a great opportunity for them to see another great potter at work
and sharing all of her surface decoration “secrets.”

After some brief introductions, Amy started to work on a couple simple bowls
that I had thrown on Sunday. I made five different bowls for Amy and I to work on.
The demonstration for my students was to see Amy’s work & techniques… but also
to see how a little surface decoration can dramatically alter the look of a pot.
And how five very similar bowls can end up completely different with her techniques,
my techniques… or our combined efforts! Amy then proceeded to start carve, chat and
discuss her path as a ceramic artist. Amy and I have similar backgrounds – both as
graphic designers who have shunned the corporate life. She worked on decorating her
bowls as she answered questions and demonstrated different techniques… and laughed!

The evening went by very fast. By the end of the evening, Amy had carved three
different bowls… and I had stamped one bowl in my newer “puffy stamps” style… as well
as one bowl that we worked together on as a collaboration piece! During her time, I also
worked with my students on their own throwing, and demonstrated how to throw a plate.

By the end of the evening, we had completed five dramatically different bowls. All of which
were very much the same at the start of the evening. I have a few small finishing touches
to do on them tomorrow before they can all start drying. I think my students enjoyed
our “surprise” special guest artist. Plus, I think Karen Avery’s Intermediate Wheelthrowing
Class enjoyed it too… as they came in and joined the Amy party! And special thanks to one of
my former students Chuck (and his wife) who brought in a tray of the best homemade
chocolate chip cookies ever!!!… and they were still warm! – Chuck, you rock!!!

I know that one of my students, Pam, enjoyed the night with Amy. They met
just a couple weeks ago during the Northwoods Tour – and Pam has become one of
Amy’s greatest fans VERY quickly!!!… and has already started her own
Pigeon Road Pottery Collection!

Big surprise for my Tuesday night Wheelthrowing class… shh, don’t tell anyone…
but my good friend & fantastic potter Amy Higgason will be stopping by
for a “surprise” visit this coming Tuesday to show off some of her incredible
surface decoration techniques. We may even get the chance to do some tag-team
demos to show off why her work has been referred to as “more feathery” and my
work as “more footprinty.” She’ll be passing through Chicago on Tuesday, and I
persuaded her to stick around for an evening with my beginners!

If you want to see more of Amy’s work, scroll back a few posts to see more about
my trip up to the Wisconsin Northwoods. Amy is THAT incredible potter!!!
My class is so lucky to see her demo… and they don’t even know it yet!