Well, we’re in the final stretch. Tomorrow is the last day of Chess Camp.
And fittingly, today the kids had some big deadlines to meet… and they did.
Our mission for today was for the kids to finish constructing all of their
chess pieces. They’ll be drying overnight so we can “finish them off” tomorrow!

The other part of “the big deadline” was that they each had to paint their thematic
chess boards. They too are drying overnight and tomorrow we’ll give them a little
shine with a protective coat of Mod Podge… and I love that memorable smell.

Tomorrow we will finish off another wonderful week of camp by painting
all of their pieces with colorful underglaze to really bring their pieces to life!
This has been a great week with a bunch of really great kids!

Just so you know, registration is now open for the Fall Session of classes
at Lillstreet Art Center. I will once again be teaching my adult Beginning &
Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing class on Tuesday nights from 7:00-10:00pm.
The 10-week session of classes begins on Tuesday, September 14th.
And since this is the Fall Session I can almost guarantee that my class will
once again fill up very quickly. As Fall sets in, people are looking for something
to do… and a fun way to make some holiday presents for their loved ones!

Stop by to register, call Lillstreet Art Center or register online.
www.lillstreet.com

And for you “Dilberts” in the world… or those of you married to a “Dilbert”…
I can guarantee that in the 10-weeks, you’ll make some nice mugs, bowls & more…
and not a single spoon whittled in class! Guaranteed…

Another week back at Summer Camp… and it’s a very special camp!
So exciting that we have a completely full class, plus kids on the waiting list to get in!

It’s my annual collaboration camp where we combine clay & metal in one week.
I co-teach with metalsmith Pam Robinson – I oversee the clay, she does the metal…
and then on Friday we both get to enjoy the Feast Finale. So it’s three times the fun!
Fire... as the clay will be fired in the kiln.
Forge… as the metal will be made into silverware.
Feast... as in a great potluck lunch on Friday!

So the way this week’s camp works, on Monday & Tuesday the kids make thematic
dinnerware sets out of terra cotta. The goal is for each kid to make a plate, bowl and cup,
as well as ceramic handles for their silverware. Then on Wednesday & Thursday,
we shift to the metals room where the kids now make their own metal knives, forks & spoons.
On Friday, we will combine their silverware in their ceramic handles. And then we get
to Feast. And celebrate our fun week with a potluck lunch using the dinnerware sets
they’ve each made this week.

And oh, but wait there’s more… as an extra special bonus, we’ve challenged the kids
with one more task! Fun for them… and extra fun for Pam and I. Tomorrow we’re hosting the
2nd Annual Camp Chocolate Chip Cookie Bake-Off. Any of the kids who want to participate
will be bringing in homemade chocolate cookies. Everyone in class will taste the cookies
and vote on their favorite. And yes, I will be supplying the milk!

Well, the official unveiling was yesterday…
“Lillstreet Mandala” celebrates 35 years of Lillstreet history…
and all of the arts & crafts taught and explored there over the years.
From clay to metal, from textiles to mosaics and screenprinting to photography
and so much more. Interspersed throughout the bricolage are hundreds of pieces
& tools from each of the different mediums. Many thanks to Corinne D. Peterson
and her “talented team” for creating this beautiful & commemorative work of art.
I’m honored to be one of the artists represented on the wall forever…
with one of the largest pieces… a full-size vase… just down to the right of center!!!

Stop by and see the new bricolage on the front of Lillstreet Art Center.
On the northeast corner of Ravenswood & Montrose in Chicago.
While you’re there… check out my studio on the second floor – Studio 205 West.

Tonight we kicked off the Summer Session of classes at Lillstreet Art Center.
Once again with a completely full class, I started with getting to know my students
and where they are in “their clay career.” This time, I have quite a few new beginners –
a lot of them with the “I did it once a LONG time ago and want to get back into
throwing.” Which might also translate into ‘there may be a lot of bad habits to fix’?!
Then we moved on to the basics of wedging, centering and throwing… assessing their
skill level at the same time. It was a very quick night – kicking off the 8-week session
of Beginning & Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing class.

Currently under construction…
a new piece of art coming to the corner of Montrose & Ravenswood in Chicago!
Something special to “jazz up” the red brick walls of Lillstreet Art Center.

Under the supervision & creative tutelage of artist, teacher & sculptor Corinne D. Peterson,
the mosaic bricolage is being adhered to the front facade of Lillstreet Art Center to
commemorate its 35th Anniversary! Thirty-five years of sharing art with the community
through classes, studios & gallery. Corinne and her team have been creating tiles, collecting
objects and art from all around Lillstreet. The design has been influenced by all of the
different art departments within Lillstreet. Not just clay, but also metals, fabric, glass,
painting, drawing, photography & more!

In the blazing sun, the team has been out there for several days working endlessly.
First, they “tuckpointed” to fill in the brick where the mosaic was going to be adhered.
They then attached the hundreds of pieces & objects to the wall, filled it in with grout
and have now been “cleaning” the grout off the tiles for days! In the blazing sun, trying
to block the sun with tarps and “headwraps” soaked in cold water! Anything to not
wither way in the summer heat! Today was over 100-degrees – hot, hot, hot.

And, lucky for me… one of my stamped vases has made it into the bricolage…
right there smack dab in the middle! It’s a good feeling to be part of a commemorative
installation piece that will live on the walls of Lillstreet for years to come!

More photos when the bricolage is completed!… coming soon…

Registration is currently open.. and spots are filling quickly – only 7 spaces left!!!
I will be once again teaching my Beginner & Advance Beginner Wheelthrowing class
on Tuesday nights from 7:00-10:00pm. The summer session will be eight weeks long
beginning on Tuesday, July 13th. It’s the perfect class for anyone who has always wanted
to try wheelthrowing for the first time, return to the wheel… or refine their current skills
and push themselves a bit further. And if you want to see my hyped up on sugar and
“post-day-at-summer-camp-kid’s-adrenaline”… this is the session for you!
Kids camp all day. Adult class at night… guaranteed fun for everyone!

Sign-up today. Call Lillstreet Art Center or register online at www.lillstreet.com

Registration has begun at Lillstreet Art Center for the Early Summer 4-week session
and the Summer 8-week session. I will be teaching again on Tuesday evenings for both.
It is a Beginning & Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing class. Ideal for those who have
never touched clay, as well as those who have some basic throwing skills but want more
time & instruction to further their skills. Sign-up soon… my class tends to fill up quickly!

Early Summer Session – 4 weeks: June 8th through June 29th
Summer Session – 8 weeks: July 13th though September 31st.

Note: if you are a full-fledged-never-thrown-on-a-wheel-before-beginner, I would highly
recommend the 8-week session over the 4-week session. It is tough to learn the entire
pottery process in just 4-weeks. Treat yourself to 8-weeks of fun… you’ll learn a lot more!

Contact Lillstreet Art Center or register online today!

Well, I just received my schedule for Summer Camp at Lillstreet Art Center.
I love camp. I love working with the kids. I love making art. I love laughing.
And the kids always make me laugh… their stories, their jokes, their enthusiasm.
By choice, I only teach the older age group, 8-12 year olds. I like that they are a bit older
and willing to express themselves through art… and learn about art at the same time.
As well as fulfilling my own “Summer Camp Rule #1” – HAVE FUN!!!

So… barring any last minute changes, here’s my very full summer camp schedule!

WEEK A:  June 7 – June 11
AM: I’m only scheduled as the back-up teacher for Clay & Multimedia…
so if there’s a lot kids signed up for that week, I’m in.

WEEK B:  June 14 – June 18
AM/PM: Chess Camp #1… we only have a week for the kids to build an entire
thematic chess set out of terra cotta! They develop a theme of what their two
“competing” sides are, and then build them & paint them with underglaze.
Oh yeah, and a chess board too! Only five days and a LOT of work!!!

WEEK C:  June 21 – June 25
AM: Clay & Multimedia
PM: Clay & Multimedia
Basically, “Clay & Multimedia” means that we all do a clay project on Monday,
and then assorted other art projects Tuesday through Friday… with our hope
that all projects are ready to take home on Friday!

WEEK D:  June 28 – July 2nd
AM: Clay & Multimedia
PM: Clay & Multimedia

WEEK E:  July 5th – July 9th
AM: Wheelthrowing… enough said, the kids get to play on the wheel & make pots!!!
PM: Clay & Multimedia

WEEK H:  July 26th – July 30th
AM: Fire. Forge. Feast… a week of fun teaching with metalsmith Pam Robinson
as we work with the kids to make a dinnerware set. Monday & Tuesday we make plates,
bowls & handles out of clay. Wednesday & Thursday we make knives, forks & spoons
out of metal. Friday we put it all together and have a class potluck lunch…
using their own handmade dinnerware set!

WEEK I:  August 2nd – August 6th
AM: Clay & Multimedia

WEEK J:  August 9th – August 13th
AM/PM: Chess Camp #2 – another week, another challenge to finish full chess sets!
Thirty-two pieces, a chess board and a lot of work to get it all done in a week!

WEEK K:  August 16th – August 20th
AM: Wild Things – it’s a week full of animals and animal-themed projects!
Including a group field trip to Lincoln Park Zoo on Tuesday for inspiration!

WEEK L:  August 23rd – August 27th
AM: Clay & Multimedia
PM: Hand & Wheel for 8 year olds – new this year… clay all week for 8-year old kids!

WEEK M:  August 30th – September 3rd
AM: Clay & Multimedia
PM: Hand & Wheel for 8 year olds

WEEK N: collapse!

For more complete details on Summer Camp at Lillstreet, and the full schedule
of all the other camps for all ages, stop by Lillstreet or check them out online.
www.lillstreet.com

Well, tonight was the final night of the 10-week Winter Session of my Tuesday night
Beginning & Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing Class at Lillstreet Art Center.
We all had a wonderful time making pots and sharing our clay experiences.
Everyone had a great time, lots of demos, lots of laughs, and a LOT of great pots!
Tonight we capped it off with a potluck dinner, informal critique & discussion…
and the ever-popular “bowl exchange.” Where everyone contributes one bowl (or mug?)
that they’ve made, and then we do a secret, White Elephant sort of random drawing & trading
game to exchange bowls (or mugs?) so everyone goes home with someone else’s treasure!

And oh, but wait there’s more…
I also found out tonight that my class for the Spring Session if already full.
More than two weeks before the session is scheduled to start may be an actual record?!
Sorry if you were planning in signing up, but waited too long. I tried to warn you
that the class fills up fast. I know at least a handful of this session’s students are returning,
but the rest are going to be newbies joining in on the fun! Sorry if you didn’t make the cut.
I think there’s a waiting list, but no guarantee that you’ll get in. Check it out at Lillstreet!!!