Claudia McGill's Artwork Open House

Balloons on the mailbox summoned me to Claudia's studio.

She's part of an artist's group Turtle Art Tours. The majority of her work is in Clay and Collage.

I'm bloggin here on my living room couch. Can you see Claudia's paper collage on the wall behind me? It's of the Elkins Park train station. Click to enlarge.

"I love trains," she said when I saw her today around noon. I took a blurry pic of this abstract that looks like a train

Don't worry. Not all of my photos are blurry.

Claudia and Bob McGill. For years, they've traveled across the area to sell her work at craft shows. Claudia remembered that we first met when she was in nearby Hatboro, where I fell in love with her work. That was 20 years ago.

I'm proud to say that I have many McGill originals.

Here's some of her striking work in her studio.

The 3 cats were locked up in the basement. The youngest she got at the SPCA. The poor little guy had been run over and left for dead. Someone brought him in and he was saved through surgery. Everything, that is, except one eye. But, hey, you can see out of one eye. That's why Nature gave us two of em.

 Their back yard is amazing!

 Everywhere you look, your eye sees something fascinating!

About 20 years ago, Bob was intrigued by this lil red rooster crowing at the break of day and they bought it from the artist, who today is quite successful. They're still in touch.

 Step lightly!

They do spend a lot of time in their back yard. Claudia plants flowers, esp. colorful zinnia. She buys the seeds. Guess who's gonna buy zinnia seeds tomorrow at the Giant Food Store?

Little islands of beauty. Reminded me of the gardens of Iris Innes.

Photos can't do justice to these painted bird houses! Knock! Knock! Anyone home?

Scott told me we have a chickadee living in the back yard bird house.



I'll have to go out and introduce myself.

 Steady stream of guests all day, said Claudia.

 Oh no! I should've bought that painting.

 Claudia and Bob are the proud parents of Andrew, a journalist for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Here's one of his many articles. It's always fun to read the comments on the articles.

A journalism career can be satisfying on its own, or it can lead to other sorts of writing. Novels, nonfiction, poetry. You name it.

Look at Steve Lopez, columnist with the LA Times, and author of The Soloist. 

Easter Island of Cheltenham Township.

Let's relax on the front porch.

Gee, thanks. May I have some lemonade, please?

 Don't you love paper birches?

 Wonder if I have room in my front yard for a paper birch.

Bob flaked me off a piece of the bark. Will give it to Grace, my 4-yo g'daughter.

WIKI - Its bark is an excellent fire starter, burning at high temperatures even when it's wet. While a paper birch does not have a very high overall economic value, it is used in furniture, flooring, popsicle sticks^[9] and oriented strand board. The sap is boiled down to produce birch syrup. Panels of bark can be fitted or sewn together to make cartons and boxes (a birchbark box is called a wiigwaasi-makakin the Anishinaabe language). The bark is also used to create a durable waterproof layer in the construction of sod-roofed houses.

 Great job, Bob, in packing up the delicate clay items.

This gal is guarding one of my little front yard gardens, as is her older sister, who's been here a couple of years.

Claudia has a kiln in her basement where she roasts her clay. I chose a box-shaped vessel, telling Claudia I'd keep my directions in there. A few friends of mine live in hard-to-get places like Evelyn Kobler, another artist, so her Center City co-op is now sitting comfortably in its new home.

I wanted to buy one object to put in my Upstairs Office to inspire me.

How to choose something?

I said to myself, Which clay object do my eyes stare it. Which one would I regret leaving behind.

Well, I have no regrets. It's upstairs right behind my keyboard.

The only regret I have is that you were not there at her phenomenal show!!!

PS - Claudia gave me her Chapbook

 Mom Takes the Train to Pittsburgh [to see Andrew], Has Great Time, and Then Goes Home. 2013.

 It's got an ISBN number and is in the Chapbook Library of the downtown Philadelphia Library.

Chapbooks are usually 25 pages or less. I'm halfway thru her book and immensely enjoying it. As my late poet friend Bob Muller put it, "I like the way your mind works."

Claudia noted that she was the only one looking out the window, even tho she did not have an aisle seat. Did you know that there's a small replica of The Statue of Liberty on the way to Pittsburgh?

I did not. Claudia was watching for it and mentioned it to her sedate female roommate, who didn't care a hoot about it!


Built by Harrisburg activist and politician Gene Stilp, born in 1950. 

Claudia took notes for her trip on a tiny orange notebook that fit in her hand.

It's so much fun to read and better yet - I have a long way to go.