making pottery at home

it’s been two years now since i started making pottery which makes no sense to me. time is so wild and it’s beautiful to see where clay has taken me in such a short time.

since i purchased my pottery wheel in 2021 ( i got a shimpo VL - lite on sale 🥲), i’ve been making pottery almost daily at my apartment - either on my patio or in my living room. it’s taken over my life in a beautiful way, kind of like photography did when got my first camera - which is why i’m spending more time these days making pots. i wasn’t planning on pivoting but the stars aligned to make it a viable option for me, so i had no choice but to jump into the void. it’s been a scary but beautifully humbling process and i am so glad i leapt.

the space

patio

the way i use my space has evolved so much since day one and i kind of like that.

i have a cutie little patio that allows me to be able to keep the messy act of throwing outside when the florida weather isn’t bonkers. it’s a little safe haven for me and i’ve made so much work here - like 100s and 100s of pieces. after taking a beginner’s wheel throwing class i wasn’t good at anything, and basically started from scratch. having this space and lots of drive and time to get on the wheel everyday really changed everything. i’ve watched endless amounts of tutorials, but i think the repetition is really what changed things for me. learning how to feel what i’m doing and not just ‘do what i am supposed to do’ really helped. the throwing process is so unique to the maker and taking time to figure out what works best when my hands meet the clay has been so important.

living room

typically during the summer and winter months, i take over our living room area so that the weather doesn’t dictate when i can work. this means shifting things around and surrounding myself to the constant reminder that i could be playing with clay at any given moment 😅. it’s definitely not the most ideal to have to make the switch inside, but the perks of a/c and more room than the patio is nice. making pottery at home technically doesn’t take much, but it does require some ingenuity, resourcefulness and the willingness the clean up the inevitable messes you will make.

in the hallway just outside my front door, i’m able to house all my clay supplies and drying pieces. and in the office portion of my living room i keep my market/shipping supplies and finished work. it’s taken a while to find what works for me and i feel like i’m finally in a sweet spot. i recently joined a local community studio where i occasionally go to make a clay-mess and be around other artists working with clay as well.

the kiln

thank goodness my parents have a garage and support my small business dream enough to let me take up some space with this big kiln and my shelves. as much as i would love to have all the pieces to the pottery process in one space, i’m so grateful to have this little corner of their garage where i can store drying pieces, glaze,and load the kiln. being able to have room to make a mess outside of my apartment feels like a luxury. this kiln has really taught me a lot about patience and the uncertainty that comes with firing! i had no prior knowledge to this part of the process and with multiple failures since i snagged it off of facebook marketplace, i understand the inner workings a little bit more. i have so much to learn about ceramics still and i love being able to take charge of every single step from bag of clay to bowls, cups, plates, etc!

looking through the photos i’ve captured since 2021 really excites me. even though my space is small, i’ve really turned this into something and i’m so pumped about where it will continue to grow. i’m challenging myself to play around with different forms and pieces in hopes of better learning the material and falling more in the love with this craft. i’m carving out my little wonky space in the pottery world one lump of clay at a time 🥲.