Do you have a place of joy.contentment.delight in your life? That one special corner you can always find inspiration and creativity in? My art studio is one of those spaces for me. Park Street Pottery is another! I've mentioned before how rare it is for me to actually get over to the 'shop' now.. but I was blessed to sneak in a session there this past Friday.
That jovial fella is George - the owner.potter of the shop - to know him is to love him!
Here's the potter's playground: a chaotic collection of creativity! Sure it takes a bit of time to discern all the hand scribbled notes on buckets of glazes... and to navigate amongst the other potters/customers/visitors... but to me, it's bliss.
Once I settle into my zone it is pure contentment. Hands in cool clay. Gently massaging shapes from formless lumps. Stiring the glazes into saturated soups of reds.browns.gold.
This batch I've been working on will use glazes of honey white. turquoise. and brown - I get so excited to see how the pieces will come out of the kiln - it's like Christmas every time.
Here's a sneak peek of the (unfinished) goodies I'm creating for the upcoming Christmas show.
There will be more of my doily pressed neck.clays and bracelets. Bird ornaments. Doily pressed nesting bowls. Bird pouches. Can't wait to see/show them soon!
That's the surrender part of pottery.
You form the clay. Hope it doesn't crack.
You glaze it next. Hope it comes through the kiln glowing pretty.
You have to create... and then let go.
Don't force it... just let it move.flow.shape.
Maybe that's why this is such a happy place for me - it teaches me much about the simple truths of life.
Dusty hands, delighted heart,
Mel ;o)
