Pottery: A New Creative Outlet

How It All Began: My Pottery Journey

I never planned to become a potter. Like many life-changing moments, it started small: an eight-week pottery course I signed up for on a whim.

I still remember walking into that studio for the first time, nervous and completely out of my element. The smell of wet clay, the hum of the pottery wheels, the shelves lined with pieces in various stages of completion. It all felt intimidating and magical at the same time. I had no idea what I was doing, but something about working with clay felt right from the very first class.

My first attempt at centering clay on the wheel was, to put it kindly, a disaster. The clay wobbled violently, water splashed everywhere, and what was supposed to be a simple bowl looked more like a sad, lopsided pancake. But there was something oddly meditative about the process. The repetitive motion, the focus required, the way everything else faded away when my hands touched the clay.

By week three, I was hooked. I started staying after class to practice, coming in early to watch more experienced potters work. There was something deeply satisfying about creating something functional and beautiful with my own hands. Each piece, even the wonky ones, felt like a small victory.

When the eight weeks ended, I couldn't imagine not having pottery in my life. I signed up for another course, then another. My room slowly filled with mugs, bowls, and vases in various stages of experimentation. My friends started joking that they knew exactly what they'd be getting for birthdays that year.

What started as a casual hobby became something much more. I loved the rhythm of throwing on the wheel, the quiet concentration of trimming, the anticipation of opening the kiln to see how glazes had transformed. Pottery gave me a creative outlet I didn't know I needed, a way to slow down and create something tangible in an increasingly digital world.

Eventually, that eight-week course turned into a small studio practice. What began as curiosity became craft, and craft became passion. Now, years later, I'm still learning, still experimenting, still falling in love with clay all over again with each piece I create.

Although it is nice to end up with a perfect piece, pottery has taught me a new lesson: there is beauty in the flaws, that is what makes it us. It just takes time and patience to improve upon where you are lacking.

—Emma