Let me just get my hands on clay

This week I am getting a chance to step away from running the studio and MAKE THINGS. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made plenty of things in the last year but they weren’t done in the spirit of thoughtful creation like in a workshop or in solitary making time. Usually I’m whipping out demos or doing a technique that I’ll be teaching later. My days at the studio are busy abundance and I wouldn’t change that for the world. The makers who come into AVL clay whether student or member are so darn happy it’s contagious. I love how people find their people there. I also love how people find their place there. I’m often told the studio is warm (not just summer hot, LOL) and inviting and that makes me so very happy.

I just taught a one off Charcuterie Board workshop and I was struck by how the energy of the group absolutely shifted once people got their hands on their own piece of clay. I seriously think people would have stayed an hour more working on their very cool, totally original, wavy, curvy charcuterie boards. I thought of this when my workshop instructor told us about her horrendous travel journey to Arrowmont that involved so many delays and pivots I would’ve given up. Tired and frazzled she said “I just need to get my hands on clay and I’ll be okay” and she was. It’s really universal, we all need to have that quiet connection making something with our hands. I’m thrilled that I get the next few days to do just that:)