In 2022, I took my first pottery course with a friend. It was a short two-day course over a weekend, which suited us as we were swamped on weekdays with our daytime jobs. I was going through a difficult time and I found that working with clay was therapeutic for me.
After the course I continued with the pottery slowly, fitting it in whenever I could. It wasn’t a regular occurrence as studio time was pricey, and its being far away from home and only open on weekdays meant that I spent only a few hours there each time after work, twice a week if I was lucky. I felt that with these limitations, my progress was also limited, and I often felt frustrated that I could not accomplish more in a short period.
I often feel frustrated with my lack of progress, still. I encounter failure a lot learning on my own, trial and error, gritting my teeth, researching my mistakes, and trying again, sometimes repeatedly. I sometimes feel impatient with myself; I have so many ideas for things I want to make but my skills don’t yet allow me to materialise them.
A few days ago, I sent this photo of a piece from my recent kiln unload to the same friend I took the first pottery course with. She was enthusiastic and said it was sophisticated and that it was incredible to see my improvement. I was surprised, as I had been down about my lack of progress, but now I suspect I have just been too close to the making all this time to see how far I’ve come.
I started late with pottery, you know, art was not greatly encouraged in my culture as something to be pursued. Making time for the things you want to do as an adult is difficult, but do a little bit each time, even 10 minutes a day dedicated to your hobby is time of your own. I have a long list of things I want to make and I may not be able to make them now, but I know that if I just keep going I’ll get there! Cheers to all of you for being so brave!
does anyone else have the issue of being into too many mediums? bc i currently have mugs to finish, a graphic novel to illustrate, and a play to direct and I barely know how to juggle balls let alone tasks ((clown club core style))
In ceramics the worst thing is when you take out a batch of pottery from a bisque fire and its all in tact then you notice on your favorite piece theres a crack, your in the in between stages, before you could add a bit of slip and seal it up, but now, now your stuck and no matter how much glaze you throw on it or coat it in, its never fixed, it will forever have that crack. But i still find myself adding layers and layers of glaze in hopes it seals or at the vary least no-one notices. recently ive been feeling like the pottery, and the glaze is my accomplishments, positive attributes, goals, skills, experiences, knowledge. But im still cracked, still leaking water, and now only decoration, if even that.