Why Kneading Downtime?
Life is messy, let’s be honest - it can be amazing but it can also be really difficult, at times frustrating, requires constant adjustments and is about learning and refining as we go. So too pottery, even though it’s essentially mud pies for adults. You can dress it up as anything you like, from the most cerebral creative expression to mindful flow states. You can make endless amounts of creations or never fire a single vessel. You can focus on the process or the product - it’s totally up to you.
During my career as a nurse and paramedic I have seen, and experienced firsthand, the impacts of not prioritizing downtime. I have learnt that not only is play and creating really important for our wellbeing and mental health, this 6th pillar of wellbeing is a bit of life hack when it comes to processing stress, trauma and basically life.
I rediscovered pottery when I was experiencing a significant burnout. I realized that no matter what else I worked on, I needed a creative outlet and to make time/give priority to having fun. Adults don’t think enough about play and fun like we used to when we had no mortgages, children or jobs, but in my experience it’s integral to keeping all that other stuff afloat.
I’m definitely not classically trained in ceramics, nor am I a psychologist so please lower your expectations. But after more than a few trips around the sun I’ve used the GenX tried and true method of ‘Trial and Error’ so I have a wealth of knowledge about how/why things don’t work, (in life as in art). I have also been on a bit of a wild ride in life, seen a few things, been knocked down, gotten up again, been knocked down etc, and through all of it - anything I’ve learnt I’m determined to share to help anyone else along the way.
Kez