Re-entry is Rough
Roughly 3 weeks ago, I swung by the Colorado Potters Guild to pick up 25# of clay in anticipation of a clay reboot during my winter break between semesters. Alas…the clay is still sitting in the mudroom unopened, chastising me for being such a procrastinating wuss. The truth is, I feel rusty and a little intimidated by the fresh clay. It also doesn’t help that my work space in the garagio is a freezing mess and hasn’t really been organized since we moved here back in August 2009. (see below)
What a mess!
See – my wheel (far left) is barely recognizable underneath piles of stuff and while I wired our garage for my Skutt kiln, I have never fired it even once since moving here. I have two other kilns that are buried under other stuff somewhere else in the garage. sigh…. It also doesn’t help that the garage is not insulated – makes working in there pretty unbearable this time of the year.
So what’s a girl to do? I need a flexible warm space that’s convenient and works with my crazy school schedule – what if the clay mood strikes me at 1am in the morning? I could work at the shared studio at the guild when I have the time to drive cross town, or I could utilize part of my basement (if I can talk my husband into this) – though I don’t really like the idea of clay dust in the house. It’s a conundrum that I’m going to have to tackle this weekend because my last semester of school starts January 17th – a date that is rushing towards me at a lightning fast speed.
As an aside, we might be moving this summer – so I don’t really want to get too cozy. As for the clay – I know I just need to open it up and start by just touching it – the rest will hopefully follow.
Chris
January 7, 2012 at 9:45 am //
Babysteps helps. You’ll touch the clay, and the rest will follow! I feel that way about crocheting sometimes; the thought of diving back into an unfinished project is too daunting and full of excuses (the stitches will look different, it’s too hard to restart the pattern, etc.). But the satisfaction of a completed project (and the happiness of the recipient) makes up for all of that!
Gemma
January 7, 2012 at 10:03 am //
Get on it Cin! You are a wonderful artist and a perfectionist – 2 characteristics that can sometimes nudge each other to hesitate or force your motivation and confidence to a screeching halt. I have a feeling once you get your hands on that clay, sparks will fly and you’ll return to that creative grind that made you want to do pottery in the first place. Space heater? Drink some tiger milk in that strong pressed coffee of yours, you got this. The natives are getting restless….
ang
January 7, 2012 at 5:46 pm //
winter is so unkind to an uninsulated studio space, you could insulate or surround yourself with heaters…..aakhemm!! you have 6 months til summer i think you can get cranking in the mean time
ooh that was a bit harsh first comment back, it was meant to be encouraging…. anyhoo great to see you back!!! know of any shopping carts that would work on blogger or wordpress??? Happy New Year C, how good does it feel to have that degree under wraps well done you 
)
Linda Starr
January 8, 2012 at 9:21 am //
How about some pinch pots, you can do that at the kitchen table, remember me making stuff in the RV? roll out a couple of slabs and sandwich them between plastic and cover well, then put them under the bed drag them out when you have a free minute and use them, make a few pendants or tiles with the slabs. let them dry in an out of the way closet – (they dried in my RV cabinets just fine ) If you take that whole block of clay you just got and cut it up into sections and wrap them up individually and put them in zip lock baggies they stay nice and fresh and you can use them at a moments notice indoors where it’s nice and warm.
Cynthia
January 8, 2012 at 1:33 pm //
@Chris – I do feel like I just quit something that I love to do – and I hate quitters. Okay, hate is a strong word.
As to shopping carts – why not just a good old paypal one? I don’t know much about blogger anymore, but I know with wordpress, there are lots of cart plugins that function really well. I have even used google checkout in the past.
@Gemma – you do know me well girl! What does “tiger milk” taste like? ;D Is that what we were drinking crunch time last semester?
@Ang – I do have a space heater – I need harsh right now. If there is anything that school studio juries taught me is to woman up to tough criticism!
@Linda – You must be reading my mind. I feel like I am first and foremost a hand builder – not so much a thrower, though I enjoy it. On my lis of things to do today is to find my copy of The Spirit of Clay. It stopped snowing too, so maybe I could go forage in the garagio for some of my tools, some canvas, and drywall board. Good idea about putting the clay into little baggies, like a “stash”, lol.
ang
January 8, 2012 at 6:39 pm //