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Philadelphia in the Rain

So the good news is that my neighbors Bob and Brad got more than 200 suggestions for naming the turtles who live in the koi pond. The bad news is that they can only pick two. By far, the most popular suggested name is Shelly. I don’t know whether I like that name very much. It doesn’t sound like it came from a kid. It sounds like something an adult would say. Sammy and Turtleton, on the other…

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Name the Turtles in Bob's Koi Pond

My neighbor Bob’s garden is going strong this summer. The hot weather, coupled with the rain, has made the plants very happy and I can practically hear them singing when I walk past. But the biggest news of the Summer is that there are now two turtle tenants living in the koi pond. And Bob is asking the neighborhood kids to name them. Sometimes turtles living in a koi pond can be bad…

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Discovering Acoma Pottery: My Class with Lucy Lewis and Her Daughters

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A Visit to Cold Spring in the Hudson Valley

I got to spend a few days in Cold Spring, NY recently, trolling its Main Street shops, restaurants, and art galleries. There are loads of stores on Main Street selling everything from gourmet foods to designer baby clothes, and none of them were chain stores or franchises as far as I could see. I’m a great one for window shopping and Cold Spring is a window shopper’s paradise. But the antique…

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I Discover the Academy of Music's Rich History

I attended the Avenue of the Arts Block Party this past weekend and jumped at the chance to tour of the Academy of Music, the Miller Theater, and the Kimmel Center with expert tour guide Kathie Cronk of Ensemble Arts Philly. I’ve been going to performances at the Academy of Music for a long time, but didn’t know much about its history. Here’s what I learned: We entered through the stage…

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New Pottery Surface Design Experiments

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Unique Treasures at Judie's Bungalow in Cold Springs NY

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Bob's Urban Garden, Spring 2025

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Why Arts Funding Matters for Kids

I went to two exhibits this week that featured children’s art. The first was Fleisher Art Memorial’s Children and Youth Exhibition and the second was the Artwell Poetry and Art Show at Moore College of Art. i have always loved children’s art. The lack of pretense. Fearless use of color. The freedom to tell a story in pictures without any self consciousness. The honesty. And then many of us lose…

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Creative Uses for Everyday Objects in Ceramics

I could have written this post by showing you pictures of the templates and forms I used to make these little ceramic dishes and asking you to guess that they were. But honestly, sometimes I find 20 questions tedious. And the point of this post is not to be clever; it’s to reinforce the point that inspiration is everywhere and that anything (well practically anything) is fair game for use in your…

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Celebrating World Collage Day in Philadelphia

It was World Collage Day last Saturday .  A friend and I celebrated by going to a collage workshop at the Park Towne Place  Apartments on the Parkway in Philadelphia. InLiquid or a celebration of all things collage! In honor of World Collage Day, InLiquid is partnering with Philadelphia Collage Works and Collage Philadelphia to celebrate the imaginative, fun, and carefree World of Collage.…

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What's on My Work Table: New Ceramic Necklaces

I love ceramics. I love beads. I love making beads. I love making chains. I am currently working on combining my porcelain beads and components with my handmade chains to make necklaces that are different from the ceramic jewelry I see everywhere else. The way I work is to make a ton of components, spread them out, and wait until they start talking to me. I don’t glaze these beads. I color them…

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Cecilia Paredes: Exploring Art Through Firsthand Insights

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Memorable Baseball Moments: From My Grandfather to the Easter Phillies Game

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Cherry Blossoms in Philadelphia: A Springtime Tradition

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Bob's Garden Early Spring 2025

I was gallivanting in Fairmount Park this weekend, attending the Cherry Blossom Festival and listening to music. In the rain. The weather in Philadelphia is so windy and damp that all the peach blossoms have already blown off the tree in front of my house. They weren’t there for long. So I am glad that the spring bulbs in Bob’s garden have come up and seem to be happy. Here are some…

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Maru Beads and Crafting Reflections: Letting Go of Supplies

I am currently engaging in a Swedish Death Clean in my workshop (and the rest of my house too.) I have decided to clear out all the craft supplies unless they are related to polymer or ceramic clay, metalsmithing or beading. And I will probably be divesting myself of many of the beads I’ve collected over the years. This is not an easy  thing to do.  We hold onto so much. I already got rid of my…