Pottery: The Journey Begins!
Recently, I’ve been very busy with, and very committed to…pottery! As someone who is so obsessed with plants, this was an organic move for me. I am very interested in the styling of my plants, and I take time and care with the setup of each plant once it enters my home space. I love reconciling the care needs of the plant (such as potting mix, drainage requirements, light, and more!) with the perfect decorative pot. I love to find a pot with colors that compliment or emphasize the foliage or flowers of each of my plants. I love it when the pot looks great in one of the rooms of my house. When it all comes together, it’s magic. That “click” moment is just as much a part of the excitement as the plant itself, in fact. The style and decor bring me a lot of fulfillment. So, too, does creating. I love art. I never expected, however, that I would love creating pottery so much.
This endeavor began as a way to mentally invigorate a family member who had been suffering some extra hard emotional times due to the pandemic. It started with a pottery wheel. Throwing on the wheel then sparked an interest in hand building for both me and, well…pretty much everyone close to me! Suddenly, the storage room in my basement was converted to a pottery studio. Lots of half-finished pottery began piling up. Lots. This led to the acquisition of a VERY used kiln. I didn’t want the time and materials to have just been for practice, I wanted to see the payoff of all the hours working with clay. I needed a way to figuratively cement these pieces of pottery into being, to color them with glaze, and share them with anyone who feels an interest.
About this kiln…I’m pretty sure it’s older than me! I was so fortunate to find a mint condition, albeit ancient, kiln very close to my house. I was able to pick it up from an estate sale for a very reasonable price. I’m not sure if you’ve ever looked into the price of new kilns, but it’s enough to make your heart drop into your stomach. Fortunately, I was spared the mental anguish of toiling over ways to make that “new kiln” thing happen. You could say this kiln chose me. And I got really lucky.
I was fortunate enough to encounter some very passionate potters on my journey to finding the right kiln to complete this community setup I had started in my basement. They encouraged me not to be afraid of “used,” and urged me to look into the anatomy of a kiln. After researching, I felt a weight lifted off me. I wasn’t intimidated by the 2000+ degree oven quite so much as I was before. I won’t say I fully understand the inner workings of a kiln, but a grasp of the bigger picture has started to take shape inside my head.
There were some major hiccups when it came to the electrical work, and I mean major. With the help of my friend Arron, I was able to wrap my head around some of the more technical aspects of the electrical fancy footwork that feeds energy to the kiln itself. That obstacle was nearly enough to make me give up. Electrical work isn’t something I take lightly, so I wanted to be sure the properly qualified experts were in place to ensure a safe and happy kiln firing every time. It wasn’t graceful, but it came together in the end.
After lots of research, lots of phone calls, texts, and DMs to those who possess the knowledge that I was craving, I felt bold enough to attempt a bisque fire. I learned some lessons, namely just how much time and attention an old manual kiln requires. I was, of course, massively vigilant with the first firing. I feel more comfortable stepping out of the room now to work on some other task, but I really don’t foresee leaving the house on a day that the kiln is in action.
Ideas
I was exploding with ideas of shapes that I wanted to bring to life, and colors I’d love to use. As with anything new, there has certainly been a learning curve. I’m a bit like a pottery baby that needs to crawl before I can walk, and walk before I can run. It doesn’t stop the ideas, though. I have tons of notes constantly in flux, both in my head and on the paper. My current objective is to establish some designs that are very me, but classic enough to be staples. The first of these is my face pot. Anyone who knows me in person or on Instagram knows that my signatures are bangs, eyebrows, winged black eyeliner, and red lipstick. I wanted to bring those into my pottery, just to add a dash of me to what I’m creating. Some of my evolving staple designs are the face pots seen at the top of this page, as well as some lip pots, and sassy eyebrows. These are some of my first designs that serve as an introduction. They’re me.
What’s Next?
I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing over the last month, and I’m going to hope that my passion and interest levels stay the same! I’m going to begin putting my plants inside these pots soon, and I’m going to share that here and in Instagram. I hope with every batch that survives the kiln, I’m a little bit more skilled than I was before, and I understand the true art just a little bit better than I did previously. I have invested in this. Not just financially, but emotionally. Originally, this was meant for a struggling family member, I intended to remain in a supportive role and watch from the sidelines Miraculously, it has become a source of joy for that aforementioned family member, for me, and several other members of my family who have chosen to participate. It’s helped me to feel a sense of purpose, commitment, follow through, and excitement that’s entirely new to me. I also feel a sense satisfaction in having some control over the beloved staging process with my plants. It might take me a while, but I will begin making the pots that I see in my head, but I can’t find in stores or online.
I want to tackle the challenge of making mugs, I want to try dishes, I want to make fun little decorative objects. I’m trying not to get ahead of myself, but there’s just so much to try! A great pottery inspiration of mine recently got the wheels turning when she noted that becoming more efficient at the craft is a huge accomplishment that she’s working toward. As this process unfolds for me, I was reminded by her words that there is great value in slowing down and making each move with intention.
Another big “what’s next” is painting my little corner of the basement and giving it a facelift, so to speak! I’m installing ventilation, revamping the lighting, and adding pegboards to manage my space efficiently. Now and forever, I like to do it on a budget, so you best believe it’ll all be cost friendly. Lots of DIY and Ikea!
And I’m already running out of space for all of these finished pots! It’s only been a couple of kilns full, but my shelves floweth over! I’m listing some of my pots here, and I ask that those who are interested understand that me and my hobby are works in progress! They’re both wheel thrown and hand built, and none are “perfect.” They aren’t meant to be! This is part of an evolution, but it’s also a branch of my own personal plant therapy journey. This process comforts me, and I list these vessels in the hope that maybe not now, but one day, I will be skilled enough to bring plant and art therapy to others.
Looks like that half finished Plant Profile blog I’ve been working on will have to wait a little bit longer! I got a crazy urge to get this story out now, tonight! Finally, past one a.m., I’m ready to stop all the store and blog updates and go to bed! Thanks for reading, and if you’re just here for the plants, feel free to skip past the occasional pottery post that might creep into my blog space!
As always, please feel free to find me on Instagram, send me an email, or comment below to let me know what you’re thinking!