Yes it is still hot in Arizona.  But it should be cooling down by the end of the month.  It’s been a fairly moist monsoon season and that makes it bareable to live in Tucson in the summer. 

So I am gearing up for more outdoor living.  And expect others are too.  We are already thinking about what we are planning to plant in our fall and winter gardens, which cool weather flowers to replace  the sun scorched ones on the patio and what else can be done to beautify the outdoors backyard.  We Tucsonians like to make it fun and colorful for entertaining or simple family dining outdoor.  That’s what I like about living in Tucson! 

I am already gearing up in more ways than one.  All summer long I have been prodding along in my clay studio designing outdoor pieces that can be easily hung on a patio wall or free standing sculptures, like this one above called Barrio Garden 1   It’s so charming that the birds and butterflies love it!  It is a shadow box sculpted shape, (slab) built from high fire clay and decorated with high fire glazes.  It has been fired multiple times.  It has many  textures like a garden. I have applied metalic glaze to corregated fans that frame the headboard.  And yes, it is very shrine like with candles and an angel because I believe gardens are like sanctuaries. There are many details to this piece and one of them is the scripture referrence from our Lord and Savior, Isaiah 58:11.  I personalized it with addressing the viewer as “Beloved”.

 It can sit on a bookshelf or hang on a wall.  Let me know what you think.  The size is 12″ h x 9″ w x 2″ d.