Well, Christmas has come and gone…
after months of planning, decorating, shopping & wrapping.
And now it’s time to enjoy some of the gifts you’ve received from friends & family.
And for me, it was a “picture-perfect” present pairing.

First off, I received a beautiful photograph from a photographer friend of mine.
I’ve been “coveting” this photograph for a few years after meeting Brad Pogatetz
as my “Art In The Barn” booth neighbor. I’ve himmed & hawed for years…
and finally, tired of me putting it off I’m sure, my parents purchased a print of it for me
at the “One Of A Kind Show.” Of course, I had no idea. Brad didn’t tell me. Even Sarah,
who was totally in on it, didn’t tell me! Regardless, I love it. Now I just need to get it
framed and find a place to hang it!

I love Brad’s work. It’s an intriguing combination of architecture, history, urbanization,
ruin, vegetation, nature’s reclaiming power, and my favorite… rusty metal.
Check out more of his work on his website, click here – Brad Pogatetz Photography.

Also… as if that weren’t enough…
my parents also gave me a brand-spankin’-new Canon PowerShot camera!
Much like the one I’ve been using for years. Hundreds of sunrises later, a couple bad falls
and few pieces of tape holding it together… I guess it was time for a new camera?!
I’m very excited to start out the New Year with a new camera.
So I can continue my quest for the perfect sunrise!

Today is “MUD & METAL”- the final Holiday Home Show of the season.
The weather is great and we’re ready for some last-minute holiday shoppers!
There’s pottery in every room of my condo, plus this time – a special guest artist!
Sarah Chapman has just finished setting up her beautiful jewelry in my dining room
and her work is literally glowing in the sunlight streaming in through the windows!

I especially love how the sun is making all of the inclusions in that amber pendant
reflect and sparkle. If no one else snags it, someday it may need to join my “collection.”
And the incredible shadows being cast across her display on some of her beautiful
wire-knotted pieces. This necklace looks incredible!

So stop on by to see Sarah’s incredible work… while the sun is still shining!

Well, for one weekend anyway.
Incredible glass artist Amy Lemaire returned to her Lillstreet roots for a Trunk Show,
workshop and slide presentation today. Amy used to have her studio at Lillstreet and taught
glass bead making classes. In fact, I took my one-and-only glass bead making class with Amy
as my teacher. Amy left Lillstreet to go to grad school, and now lives in Lousiville. Her work
has always been spectacular… and it was so great to see her newest pieces in the gallery.

Of course, many of her pieces are large, stunning masterpieces that I could never pull off.
But I did get a couple smaller beads that I think I can wear as a single pendant. The first two
were in the gallery show, and the third was a “trade” with Amy after her slide show!

It was great to see Amy again – even if it was just for a very brief visit.
Again… so nice to have “talented friends.”

Last night I stopped by the “Ceramics Showcase” at McGaw YMCA in Evanston.
A couple of “My Talented Friends” were showing there, so I wanted to swing by before
heading back to Lillstreet for our annual Holiday Opening Party. All of the work in the
Showcase was quite nice, but of course, I’m just a little partial to my friends Cory McCrory,
Roberta Polfus & Delores Fortuna! So I just “had to” add to my collection…

First a couple new things from Cory. An adorable red hat kid which is actually a jar.
The hat comes off to reveal a bright orange interior! And you know how I love orange!

Speaking of orange… I also got another mug from Cory while I was there. I’ve always been
drawn to her sense of color & whimsy. Plus the textures & patterns ain’t too shabby either!

And then, as if I don’t already have too many ornaments on my Christmas tree, I needed to
get another one from Cory. The white bird will get added tot he tree. The black bird will
take up year-round residence elsewhere! You’ll need to come find it!

And another textured, porcelain vessel by Roberta. Such fine detail and carving! Love it.

And a groovy plate by Delores! Great pattern & design… plus a really cool “lip” or rim
of the late that curls over slightly. To help get all of those peas onto your fork!

It was another busy night of art. This Ceramics Showcase and the Lillstreet Holiday Opening.
Of you have a chance, stop by either one, or both, today or tomorrow!

Ceramics Showcase is at the McGaw YMCA at 1000 Grove Street, Evanston, Illinois
Lillstreet Art Center is at 4401 North Ravenswood (at Montrose), Chicago, Illinois

Tonight I played with my friend Nancy at the opening of the “One Of A Kind Show”
in Chicago! The fun continues through the weekend at the Merchandise Mart.
Great art & great friends. Stop by and say hello to some of “My Talented Friends”…

Sarah Chapman – metalsmith – booth 2118
Karla Wheeler – metalsmith – booth 3077
Brad Pogatetz – photography – booth 1104
Melissa Banks – chain maille – booth 2107
Rebecca Zemans – metalsmith – booth 7087
Rebeca Mojica – chain maille – booth 3030A
Dobrila Pintar – glass beads – booth 6EP

Plus, a few other “new favorites” that you need to check out while you’re there!

Jim & Victoria Mullen – mixed media bird sculptures – booth 5095
Vintage Sculpture – found object sculptures – booth 3056C
Joe Christensen Pottery – large stoneware vessels – booth 5113
Anne Gary – crystaline porcelain pottery – booth 1068
Kevin Lahvic – whimsical paintings – booth 1086
Timber Green Woods – modern woodwork – booth 2110

A lot of beautiful work. Plan on spending a good bit of time browsing!

Tonight was the opening of Sarah Chapman’s Trunk Show at Lillstreet Art Center.
Stunning work as always. Click on her name in the LINKS section of my blog to see more
of her metalsmithing work. As always, her work was meticulous & inspired. Such great
design & craftsmanship throighout her collection. However…

The piece that really caught my interest was her new “tile” wall piece!
Squares of textured pieces of metal showcasing several different methods, textures and
finishes. All connected with jump rings so it can hang on the wall like a “tile” tapestry!
Here’s just a small section of the wall hanging. Love it…

And no wonder… it does look somewhat familiar to me.
Kinda like a section of my own textured tiled wall?!

I just found out from one of my faithful blog readers that my friend Sarah Chapman
is featured prominently in the new SOFA CHICAGO 2012 catalog.
Apparently, an image of her work is in the full page ad for Lillstreet Art Center on
page 254. Click below and check it out. Her work is incredible, and it’s great that she’s
getting exposure such as this. Well deserved Sarah!!!

SOFA CHICAGO 2012 Exhibition Catalog online – search for page 254

Also, as a quick heads-up… Sarah will also be having a Trunk Show at Lillstreet just in time
to kick-off the holiday shopping season. The show opening will be on Thursday,
November 17th and run through the following week with beauties like these…

A couple days after I got home, I had a chance to finally check in on Facebook…
only to find this wonderful & insightful posting from our friend Pam.
I’ve known Pam, and her husband Pat, for a couple years now. Pam has been in
my pottery class, and has become friends with Amy while in the Northwoods.
So Amy & I have had plenty of time to hang out with Pam… but I think this was
the first time that Pam has actually watched a group of artists go through the
“glamorous” part of packing up after a long art fair weekend. So many people
think that these art fairs just kind of happen by themselves, and that it’s all
fun & games for the artists. Let me just say that it’s not.

Well… here’s Pam’s comment she posted on Facebook!
Thank you Pam for noticing all we go through, and taking time to share your insights…

Last weekend Pat and I had the good fortune to spend time with a few very talented
artists at ART DETOUR hosted by Pigeon Road Pottery in Northern Wisconsin. As well
as fun, good conversation, lots of laughter, and gourmet s’mores we were able to witness
just how much goes in to participating in an art fair. Countless hours of perfecting the art,
buying and making displays to exhibit the art, finding the perfect containers to transport
the art, hours of set up every day, hours of tending to the customers and manning the booth followed by hours of re-packing all the pieces and fitting them back into the car/truck/van with all the display shelves/cases/tables and the now dismantled tent only to return home to attend to tons of paperwork, returning customer emails, collating your customer mailing lists, inventorying what you have left, planning what you need to make for the next art fairɉ۬Next time you pick up a handmade bowl, necklace, watercolor painting, etc and look at the price please consider all that went on behind the scenes for YEARS before it was created and you saw it. It is an amazing amount of dedication these artists have to beautify your world and feed your soul. Be honored to be able to take a piece of that home with you.

_______________

Thank you Pam!!!

Since it was the last day of the tour, I felt that Sarah had to take a spare moment to
enjoy the surroundings. So we went for a VERY short hike on our way back to Amy’s place.
So we stopped off along the McNaughton Trail for a little snippet of nature.

When we finally got to Amy’s place on Pigeon Road, it was a little bittersweet knowing that
today was going to be the last day of fun! We all set up, got the fire started and prepared for
the customers. Sundays are generally a slower day. And it was again. But it felt good.
It gave us all a little more time to hang out and chat. Once again, my friends Pam & Pat
were there for a large portion of the day… helping, chatting and serving lunch!

While we were sitting and playing around the campfire, I learned a new trick. Pam showed
me how to make marshmallow taffy! Apparently if you just keep squishing the marshmallow
with your fingertips, it eventually loses its puffed air… and becomes taffy like!!!

Once the day had ended, it was time to pack up. But first, we had to have some fun
with the signs that had drawn so many people into the ART DETOUR. The signs were
spread out along the highway in the traditional Bermashave style. But the show was over,
and the signs had to come down. And we had to have a quick photo shoot!

But then it was time to get back to work. The glamorous part of packing it all.
Putting all of my pots back into the crate. Breaking down my shelving units. Taking down
my tent. Being careful & working methodically to get everything taken care of. It always
takes longer than you expect. And as night was drawing near, and the sky was getting
darker & darker… we were still packing. And trying to get everything packed back into my car.
Every thing has a place. And every place has a thing. And a HUGE thank you to Pat
for helping me fit everything back into my car… including my tent which came up North
on the top of my car! Now it fits inside… thank you Pat!!!

Once everyone was packed up, and the sky had turned dark, we all finally had a chance
to hang out around the fire, enjoy a bunch of leftovers for dinner and relax. And share stories
of our experience in the Northwoods. The good. The bad. The crazy. And a little ceremonial
“closure” to the inaugural ART DETOUR…

Okay, so the s’mores may have gotten the best of us?!
But if you’re going to do something, be sure you do it in a big way!
So Amy came up with the brilliant marketing plan to hype our sugary addiction.
And after a little friendly “name-calling”… we were all S’morons! … with groovy t-shirts!

Amy was truly getting into the spirit of things… and was “bedazzled” with buttons & necklaces
galore! As part of our clandestine marketing campaign, we thought it would be fun for “our”
Art Detour customers to wear ART DETOUR buttons as they went around on the “other” Tour.
We had ART DETOUR buttons, as well as S’MORON buttons for anyone who made a s’more!
Plus, Amy & Wendi had each had buttons printed to promote their own “brand.” And if that
weren’t enough, Amy was also excited to show off her new collection of necklaces made by
Sarah, Wendi and myself (top to bottom).

But a shirt is just a shirt, and a button is just a button.
And with the addition of some hi-octane sugar, you can see where the real fun began!
Caught in mid-air, and Amy’s going to kill me for this, but I LOVED the reaction that came
after I caught her trying to get the first mouthful of her breakfast s’more! Simply adorable!!!

Plus, we couldn’t keep all of the s’moron fun to ourselves, so we also raffled off a t-shirt
for our customers. And there was enough interest by people who wanted their own t-shirt
that Amy actually started taking orders for t-shirt reprints!