the month of may

The last three or four weeks have been such a blur at work. Too many projects, with too many components, and too little time. This leaves very little space for things like blogging. But amongst the sea of country music artist headshots, and signage, and flyers, and ads, and photoshoots, and stress, I have managed to get a few other things worked into any bit of day I had left. Things like a raku firing in pottery class, a visit to Oxford, mornings cutting herbs, evenings on the deck, Memorial Day with friends, a visit to the vet. Notice the photo of my crazy dog Oskar laying down while waiting for the vet. This is a rare thing for him, who for 11+ years has never stopped moving unless it is time to sleep. Time flies by too fast. This fact becomes more prominent when you look up one day and notice your beloved dog slowing down. It makes you stop and realize nothing is forever. Not even a stressful few weeks at a job.

back on the wheel

I have been back in a pottery class this Spring, although I have switched studios. Closer to my side of town and also a bit larger. And the whole space is focused entirely on pottery, so there is better access to tools and glazes and inspiration everywhere. Although I got back on the wheel in my class last Fall, I never really felt like I had that "ah ha" moment that took me back to the days when I first learned to throw. My teacher at this studio is wonderful and within one evening retaught me everything I had already been taught—and then took it a step further. I am in love with this medium again. I am excited to see each Wednesday what else she will teach me, and feel I am finally ready to truly learn it. There are no other classes in the way, no grades or class credits, and I am creating from a deeper place. I have found that this time around I am less focused on coming out of there with a specific list of objects and more on simply creating. Letting the forms unfold, getting used to the rhythm of the steps. I am happy to throw crooked clay bowls back into the bag and start over again the next week. My favorite moment while on the wheel is when I catch myself taking that deep breathe and everything else in my head moves aside, and my whole world consists of only quiet and focus and creating. I move a little more into myself when this happens and it is balancing. Meditative. Healing. I am able to erase a bit of the chaos from the day in these moments, and I am realizing it is here that I feel as close to my nature than in any other place. I loved it before, but I am starting to get it now.

This is a beautiful video of an artist named Sue Paraskeva. Just watching it makes me breathe a bit deeper.

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