Devi Ramanathan
2021- Two Month Course
Week 1
Revisting pottery after months of being idle. It's exciting but frustrating that after so many beginner classes, I'm still here. But....I'm trying to focus on the now. Forget what I'm going to do, if it's going to my career. Just be here as of now. Enjoy the break for what it is.
Week 2
At every step of this process, things could go wrong. I might have centred perfectly and pulled up uneven walls. Or saved a good piece and broken it while I trimmed. Or didn't constantly care for a drying piece and let cracks grow bigger, It almost feels like taking care of a baby. Some days are easier than others but I just have to remind myself to keep going. Eventually I will get where I want to be. Learn to enjoy the process and not just the final piece.
Week 4
As you keep practing things get better, Even on your most frustrating days remind yourself that the next time you sit on the wheel it will be different.
The excitement of planning and making our collections consumed us. From fixing cracks to bisquing to glazing and the final fire. When we're working towards this, we often tend to forget aches and pains and we even forgot time.
It's so easy to question why I am not choosing this as a profession, I really enjoy it and I'm not terrible at but at the same time I'm just afraid of commitment.
But like Indira has been saying 'Just keep swimming, just keep swimming'!
Month 2
After a good break, you kinda wait to get back to the wheel. But the only problem was that I knew I was starting of with big bowls and just the thought of that made me nervous. Some days were extremely frustrating. How am I still stuck at 1kg?
But the people around you, the person who's teaching you give your confidence a slight boost and you hold onto that till you learn to confident your own!
Keep doing speed drill and blindfold challenges and learn to stop!
