RANDOM POST 2

What Pottery Means To Me 

The Hobby That Keeps On Giving 

By: Sofia Kristiansen

I am the type of person who has many hobbies but is a master of none. I have given a shot at crocheting, home gel manicures, watercolor, plaster art, you name it. But none seem to really stick. I get a rush of creativity and motivation to learn a new creative hobby about once a month but find myself giving up if I cannot learn the new skill in under two hours. I am impatient. However, I discovered the perfect happy medium to fulfill my creative desires and satisfy my internal time constraint. Pottery classes. One-hour classes led by professionals allow me to fast forward the learning curve and sink into my own thoughts and enjoy an expressive outlet. I am hungry to fill my creative void and creating and painting pottery does this for me.

Tiny Floral Vase

My affinity for ceramics started during Covid. I lived at home and picked up little habits to keep my mind positive and stimulated. Something I would do is pack an easel, paints, and paint brushes and ride my bike down to the beach and paint on a canvas during sunset. I painted over the same canvas every week, replicating any new vision that entered my mind that day. This pastime was so sacred and special to me and important for maintaining my mental wellness. It gave me time in the day to center my thoughts, stay off of screens, and just be in nature and enjoy the present moment. I started to explore other hobbies that might give me the same fulfillment. I registered for a one-hour pottery class and never turned back. I loved the process of handcrafting my own little creation of clay from scratch, spinning it on the wheel, and the anticipation of what it would look like after being fired in the kiln. 

Mushroom House - holds a candle inside to light the house through the windows

Painting the pots is one of my favorite parts. I spend hours on Pinterest gathering inspiration before every class. This might be a little obsessive but to me scrolling through Pinterest is much less damaging than scrolling through TikTok or Instagram. Pinterest gives me little snippets to fuel my imagination. Handcrafting and painting my little clay pieces have become a monthly ritual that I look forward to and value very much. Since, my tiny apartment cannot house all of my work, my friends and family are often recipients of pots, pitchers, jewelry dishes or anything else I make. My dream is to one day design a pottery studio in my backyard where I can go to clear my mind and create beautiful works of art for my home and to share with neighbors, friends, or anyone who wants a piece of my art. 

 

Water Bowls for cats - cats love to chase fish so I chose to incorporate a goldfish at the bottom of the water bowl