Master Minds...

Read on to find out how you can get a behind the scenes peaks into the minds of our resident artists, save on next session classes, and see a few recent student masterpieces.

Join us for an Artist in Residence Open House at Lillstreet this Friday night

December 17th, 7-10pm

Featuring:

Ceramics - Momoko Usami
Metals - Sontra Stala
Textiles - Johana Moscoso

See what has been going on in the master minds of the Ceramic, Metals, and Textiles departments as each resident artist presents their work and slide shows. This is a great opportunity to hang out with some truly talented folks! Refreshments and live music preformed by Jessica Robins will keep things lively.

Sign-up Early and Save! Register for Winter 2011 classes and pay in full by December 20 to save $20 on 10-week classes or $10 on 5-week classes. The early registration discount may be applied to more than one class and Members are eligible for both their membership discount and the early registration discount. Click here to Sign-up now!

Last, but never, never my friends least- check out your great work that came out of the kiln last weekend. Ooooh... Ahhhh...

Never a dull moment around Lillstreet...

And the Ceramics department is no exception. Last weekend's workshop with Alessandro Gallo was a smash hit, student work keeps moving through the kilns keeping our monitors busy, and there is plenty to look forward to in the new year.


Alessandro Gallo's workshop, "I've Created a Monster", was a non stop buzz of activity last weekend. A mix of fourteen new and returning students participated, each sculpting their own seated "monster." Overall themes of the workshop were of proportion and form, while Alessandro offered personal attention to each student.

Will Del Genio snapped a great picture of Alessandro in the midst of the workshop as he surveyed the creation, including Will Del Genio's very own "monster".



Next stop for those monsters will be one of Lillstreet's kilns. Lillstreet has a dedicated team firing kilns back to back- a more rigorous program is hard to find. let's take a sneak peak of hard working monitors making it happen.

Marisa Hricovsky putting together the puzzle as she loads a Bailey kiln with biskware- are any of those neatly nestled pots yours?

Taking the puzzle apart and getting work back to students as fast as she can, Shawna Tuttle is more than half way there.

The student shelves were brimming with gorgeous wares Saturday morning.

A huge, heartfelt THANK YOU! to all the monitors who make it happen. We're all looking forward to what will come out of the early winter sessions now under way. Speaking of looking forward...

We have an upcoming show in the gallery, "CHROMA" showcasing the work of Hiroe Hanazono and Mikey Walsh, running January 28 through February 27. Both artists will be attending an Artists Reception on February 11 from 6-9pm. But wait, there's more! Hiroe Hanazono will be leading a two day workshop the following weekend.

From Template to Mold: Designing Functional Forms without the Wheel

February 12 & 13
10am - 5pm

Cost if registered by January 21:
$200

Cost if registered after:$250

During this two-day workshop we will explore the creation of unique original functional forms by making simple molds. We will start with precise drawings and transform them into wood and clay templates for plaster mold-making. Hiroe will demonstrate basic plaster mold-making techniques as she works with students to make a mold of their own unique form. Hiroe will also present a slide lecture including source material, inspirations for her work, and a pictorial sequence of her design process. Basic ceramic or sculpture experience helpful, but all levels are welcome.

You heard it here first! Sign up now to secure your spot, and stay tuned in to see what we have in store for you next.

Don't Miss Your Chance...

Hello Lillstreet ceramicists!

There is a lot going on around the studio as the holiday season rolls on in. Highlights include the beginning of early winter classes, a workshop with a world renowned artist, and fresh student work coming out of the kiln. Remember to sign up for early winter classes starting the weeks of November 22 & 29th.

Check out “I’ve Created a Monster” with Alessandro Gallo next weekend, November 20-21. Take advantage of this fabulous opportunity to learn from a master as we practice emblematic sculpture.

Don’t miss out on your chance to spend some quality time with our own beloved artist-in-residence Momoko Usami as she finishes out her two years with us. Opportunities include handbuilding classes and the following one day workshops:

Ocarina: Wednesday, December 1 from 2 to 5pm

Inkoku: Saturday, December 11 from 2 to 4pm

Taste of Enamel: Saturday, December 18 from 2 to 4pm

Last, but most certainly not least, check out the great work by your fellow classmates that came out of the kilns this past week.  These amazing sculptural pieces are by Randy Stearns.

Gail Nichols at Lillstreet

Hump Day

We've already technically passed hump day this week, but at Lillstreet everyday is hump day. Throwing off the hump that is! This method of throwing allows for repetitive creation of similar pieces using one large piece of clay. Many times this technique is used for making smaller pieces -- where centering a tiny individual piece of clay is not feasible.

Below is a video of instructor Chris Chaney throwing a small teacup off of a larger lump of porcelain clay. One thing to keep in mind is that pieces thrown off the hump are much more prone to s-cracking. Care must be taken when trimming to go back and re-compress the interior of the foot.



The above video comes courtesy of Tony Gebley of the Chicago Tea Garden, an online retailer of high quality and reasonably priced loose leaf teas from around the globe.

Lillstreet on the Small Screen

Within the last week Lillstreet has been featured on 2, count 'em 2 local television new shows!! If you take a minute to watch the segments and you may just recognize some familiar faces from around the studio. These are great little introductions to Lillstreet, so be sure to pass them along to friends, family members, co-workers, and well, everyone else.



 

Early Resistration Discount

With spring right around the corner it is time to think about signing up for that class you've always wanted to take! Lillstreet offers a wide variety of not only clay classes, but textiles, printmaking, drawing, painting, jewelry making, and much much more. Click here to browse the many Spring class and workshop offerings.

If you register for a class and pay in full by Friday, March 5th, you will receive $20 off your 10-week class, or $10 off your 5-week class. (No discount on workshops or camps).

Be sure to take advantage of this great offer!

Big changes for the Soda Firing Program

Lillstreet is getting a new soda kiln!! On Saturday, February 6th, a dedidated crew of Lillstreeters gathered for a day of kiln destruction. After the gloves, masks, and eye protection were donned, the old soda kiln was taken apart brick by brick. In about 8 hours of hard work, the kiln was reduced to 5 pallets of various sized and shaped brick. Some went to the alley behind the studio for disposal (they may even still be back there) and the rest were saved to be re-used in the new kiln.
Now that the old kiln is no longer, we need a new one! On February 20th and 21st, Lillstreet is hosting a Soda Kiln Building Workshop:

Join Doug Jeppesen (Waubonsee Community College) and Neil Estrick (Neil Estrick Gallery) as they lead students through the process of building Lillstreet's new soda kiln. This workshop will give participants a rare opportunity to learn about and participate in the kiln building process from start to finish.

When: Saturday February 20th and Sunday February 21st
Time: 9am to approximately 9pm both days
Cost: $60 per day or $100 for both
To sign-up, please contact the front Desk at (773)769-4226

Lunch and Dinner will be provided both days.

On Saturday evening at dinner time, Doug and Neil will present a slide lecture and discussion highlighting their kiln building experiences and processes.

For more info on the Artist/Builders please visit: http://dougjeppesen.com/
and http://www.neilestrickgallery.com/

Empty Bowls

Empty Bowls Date Changed to March 5, 5-8pm
Lillstreet Art Center is proud to host this 4th annual hunger-fighting event to benefit First Slice. Join us for a modest meal of soup and bread, served in an artist-made ceramic bowl that you may take home. Bowls are $20 each. There will be live music, and a silent auction of artist-crafted items, a special prize package from Soup and Bread, and more.

If you are a potter and would like to help, think about making some bowls to donate to this great event! This is a great way to get your work into the hands of as many people as possible AND a great way to help the community.

Throwing Bowls

Ever wonder how to throw a bowl? Well wonder no more!! In the video posted below, Lillstreet ceramics department head Karen Avery, demonstrates how to throw two different types of bowls.



Perhaps this video will inspire you to create some pieces to donate to Lillstreet's Empty Bowls event on March 5, 2010, 5-8pm. Not only is it great for the community, it is delicious too!

In the Gallery

Chung & Chaney

New Work by Yong Hyun Chung and Chris Chaney

Friday, January 15 2010 to Sunday, February 14 2010

Reception: January 16, 3-6pm

Soda firing creates an unique atmosphere, allowing the artist to anticipate but not entirely control the surface of their pieces. Join us for a show of new work by two of Lillstreet's artist-teachers, highlighting the diversity and beauty of the soda-firing process.

New Year = New Classes!!

Happy New Year!! Do you have your resolutions set? Perhaps one of them is to take a class in clay? If so, Winter classes start this week, so you still have plenty of time to sign-up. To view the Winter class schedule, click HERE.

If you are already enrolled, welcome back and we'll see you around the studio!!