Ceramics

I took my first pottery class in April 2024 and fell in love with the process of taking a lump of wet clay and molding it into something beautiful and functional and that maybe even told a story. 

I signed up for a four-week course and loved it so much I just kept renewing and added on studio hours about six months in, so I'm there working with other potters three days per week. I love the camaraderie of the people I work with, mostly women, the youngest in her 20s, the oldest in her 80s, and they're every one generous of spirit, kind, and encouraging to this new potter.

It took months for me to get confident with centering, so I spent a lot of time doing hand-building with slabs. In October 2024, I got to take a trip to England where I spent literal days roaming the many wonderful museums there looking at pottery from ancient cultures and modern artists, taking hundreds and hundreds of photographs to use as reference later for my own work. I spent two weeks in Glastonbury where I got to climb the Tor and visit St. Michael's Tower, which I built in clay when I got home. (Essay on that process coming soon.)

I've watched thousands of hours of pottery videos on YouTube, learning from other pottery artists how they do what they do. It's addictive, maybe, a little. 

I haven't had a manicure since early 2024 and I don't miss them at all.

In the year since my first class, I've bought my own wheel and my own kiln, and I still attend weekly classes and studio hours at Down to Earth Studio in Flagler Beach. Heather Wales is an amazing teacher. If you're in the area and want to get a little muddy yourself, call for a Play with Clay class. 

I am so grateful to have found this creative outlet. I've been asked many times if my work is for sale, so I'm working on an online store. In the meantime, look for me at the Fall Art Market at Down to Earth in late August or early September 2025.