A few hours ago, I returned home from taking part in my first wood firing at Baltimore Clayworks. I took the late night shift, and have been unable to sleep much yet. The fact is that returning to pottery after over a decade away from the wheel has me incredibly excited, and the opportunity last night to bust my butt doing something I love has me a little high. And far too awake.
Had I lived in another time and place, I think pottery would have been my life's work. At least I like to think so. I discovered it in my early 20's, and took classes and worked at night at Lill Street in Chicago (back when it was actually on Lill Street) for a few years. It was my passion and my love. I dreamed of clay and passed time at my day job daydreaming of it, and even considered returning to college to study ceramics. Then I had to quit.
That was 2003. It was an injury not related to working clay, but it took a couple of years to sort out. By that time, I had a mortgage and was going to night school in another field. No time for pottery. But I still dreamed of the clay.
These 10 years later, I'm married with two small children and live in Maryland. As a (mostly) stay at home mom, I need some time on a regular basis to clear out my brain and do something with other adults. So, my husband and I decided I'd start taking a pottery class at Glen Echo Pottery here in the DC area. I'm back, an end to 10 years deprivation.
When I get a bit more of this excitement out of my system, I'll try to rest. And to dream of clay.
Had I lived in another time and place, I think pottery would have been my life's work. At least I like to think so. I discovered it in my early 20's, and took classes and worked at night at Lill Street in Chicago (back when it was actually on Lill Street) for a few years. It was my passion and my love. I dreamed of clay and passed time at my day job daydreaming of it, and even considered returning to college to study ceramics. Then I had to quit.
That was 2003. It was an injury not related to working clay, but it took a couple of years to sort out. By that time, I had a mortgage and was going to night school in another field. No time for pottery. But I still dreamed of the clay.
These 10 years later, I'm married with two small children and live in Maryland. As a (mostly) stay at home mom, I need some time on a regular basis to clear out my brain and do something with other adults. So, my husband and I decided I'd start taking a pottery class at Glen Echo Pottery here in the DC area. I'm back, an end to 10 years deprivation.
When I get a bit more of this excitement out of my system, I'll try to rest. And to dream of clay.
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