I. This is post 12 of 15 that are due for my blog along. I’m just typing that out so I can get how many posts I need to catch up on to make my 30 posts in 30 days.
II. Monday, I went to my first pottery class. I have to admit that I had a few difficult moments because the instructor seemed a little whelmed and occasionally slightly exasperated. I was really struggling with centering and opening because these techniques were demonstrated from about 15 feet away and I am half-blind (literally), so it was hard to see hand positions, etc. I did my best on my own, but did eventually have to ask for some one-on-one guidance (which, while hard for me to ask for, is included in the price of the class).
III. So, anyway, at one point after assisting me, he said to someone across the room that “high energy people” tend to have difficulty with throwing pottery because it’s “so zen” and I started having bad feels about myself, because, yo. I am high energy. I am enthusiastic. I am excitable, and I love to learn. I was giggly and upbeat and totally into it even when I was making flop after flop and getting mud everywhere including my hair, all over my clothes, and on the floor around me. I was in full-on happy child mode which is exactly what I’d hoped to get out of the experience, so I’m not going to lie. This commentary, even if it wasn’t directed at me, stung a bit butandalso being in that state is extremely vulnerable for me so I could very well have been misreading/projecting.
Butandalso…
III. The owner stopped by my station at one point and was the absolute opposite experience for me. Zero sense of his being whelmed or impatient. Helped me figure out what I was doing right and what I was doing wrong. Demonstrated alternative hand positions since I was struggling with the ones I’d been shown initially. Absolutely oozed kindness. Left me feeling empowered. Inner kid felt a lot better after that encounter, and you know what? That says a lot about the quality of these two teaching styles.
Let me always strive to provide the latter kind of experience for my students. Let me always check in with myself before I teach to ensure that I am not whelmed or impatient because our inner kids show up to these classes and it is way too easy for them to misinterpret an instructor’s state as being our fault somehow.
DULY NOTED ALSO THAT I CAN TURN ANYTHING INTO A LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
IV. Despite the mixed feelings, I didn’t let it ruin my night, and ultimately, after I took a deep breath and reminded myself that this guy wasn’t “doing me a favour” by instructing me – I paid for this instruction – I had a fucking blast, and over the course of the last two days (yes, this experience has taken up some bandwidth in my traumatized brainmeats for sure) I’ve concluded that if my enthusiasm makes me a difficult student or if I’m not “zen enough” for this particular instructor, or if learning will be harder for me because I’m not a quiet little mouse of a zen potter, well, I can live with that.
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My throwing station.
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Learning to center.
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OMG LITTLE POTS!
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OMG MORE LITTLE POTS!!
I walked home after class absolutely covered in clay. I’ve picked up a twelve-pack of bar towels and two aprons because your girl is a VERY MESSY POTTER.
V. Speaking of teacher/student experience, I am taking a beginner’s drawing class (truly for beginners) from New Master’s Academy and in the introduction to the fundamentals course, the instructor talked about thinking of the part of ourselves that wants to learn to draw as a wee soul fragment to whom we must be extraordinarily kind and with whom we should be extraordinarily gentle. My whole body melted and I felt super relaxed and inspired and this amazing teacher will get all my money from now all based on that one little pep talk – one that my students know I give all the time. Thank you Steve Huston. You are a lovely human.
And that’s all I’ve got for now because I’m saving some thoughts for later as I attempt to catch up on my Artfully Wild Blog Along where I’m blogging every day (ish) in September. You are welcome to join me.
I love you so fucking much. ♥️
*Patrick Swayze voice*
Ditto.
“Learning to center.” 3 mighty words! Love your little pots… painty table gonna be so lovely with vessels for brushes and water and vino <3
Yes. I can feel it when the clay body is centered now and that’s definitely progress. <3
I kind of feel like you were talking directly to me with that first part. And well – I don’t know about pottery…but I’m a high energy person who likes to act like a kid with my art. I also do very ‘Zen-like’ art –beading, crocheting, knitting, doodling. It always kind of crushes me when I hear things that try to extinguish the enthusiasm.
I try to tell myself, “I’m not making this art for you, bro” Haha!
But then you wrote this, “wee soul fragment to whom we must be extraordinarily kind and with whom we should be extraordinarily gentle” . That’s just so lovely.
Right? I just totally relaxed and felt my whole body settle down and engage in a sense of safety. Watched the entire first week. Made my shopping list so I’m prepared for next week and felt *totally empowered*.
I’m glad the 2nd instructor was nice and encouraging, I’m glad you still love it after the 1st guy.
People don’t realize that although we don’t live for their kind words and encouragement, it does matter.
It’s kinda why I don’t post on instagram much, well that and I don’t know how to do the whole # thing.
Keep going with your high energy self, some of us wish for that kind of energy.
I am always so grateful when I have high energy because it isn’t always the case! When I am enthused or excited or hovering somewhere above depressed, it is priceless and I need to protect that mood at all costs.
Reading the delightful mud all over you experience delighted me all over myself I’m smiling. How wonderful to know you and reading your delightfulness and your downerness too. I love you.
I love you, too. <3 You're an angel!
“Scared POTTAH!?” I can never read the words Potter without thinking of Movie Draco saying that. This is something I need to learn to, sometimes I feel such guilt, over something I paid for. Advocating for me has gotten so much easier by playing a role – so I am the mother aspect for me, or Kali Ma for me, or my best friend. All that aside, POTS! Great work Effy! [if you needed my enthusiasm].
Bwahahahaha. I love that, and now I’ve got that stuck in my head. :)
I have totally been that student who is high energy. I took a mosaics class once. … Along with my four high energy daughters. Afterward I actually felt quite sorry for the instructor. I am familiar with the shame that can sink in when we aren’t being the quiet, compliant, good student.
I’m back to blogging again too in September … And beyond. So good to catch up with your life.
I struggle with commentary like the first instructor. I’ve shut down often enougj because of it. You truly are an inspiration
And I’m SO GLAD you had a blast!!!
Kind instructors are everything.
Also, fuck that guy. Love, A Very Excitable Human.
P.S. Have you watched “The Great Pottery Throwdown”? It is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
I am OBSESSED with The Great Pottery Throwdown and just rewatched the season Rosa won. *ADORE*
As far as the guy, I’m willing to write it off as a bad day, but if it happens again, I think I’ll make a note of it in an email to the owner.
I honestly gasped when you said you were taking a ‘for real’ beginner drawing class. It’s super-inspiring to me because I think your art is stellar, and if someone with years of building skill is taking a learners class…it just gives me hope and encouragement to go learn those things I’ve put up on a shelf. Thanks for that.
I think you say something to the instructor if it happens again. He/she needs to know how his comments affect new beginners. He/she should not be teaching beginners if that is the attitude. You keep going-learning to center is very hard and some days you will sail through it and some days, you may end up saying, well, today I may not make anything I will end up keeping. I think centering and getting the glazes to look like what you envision you want are the hardest things about pottery. I always ended up covered head to toe after a session. Have fun with it. I love your art and your writings.
Such a great commentary on teaching! Getting muddy is SO much fun. I will never forget learning to center and the teacher who made it finally click for me. Seems obvious, but her comment was – your hand moves the clay, don’t let the clay move your hand. Being not very strong, she showed my how to lock my elbow into my hip so that I could hold firm. Such an amazing feeling to successfully ‘pot’. :) Zen or un-zen isn’t relevent here. Students come in all different packages. That says more about his limits. Play on and enjoy the dirt.
Yay for making a mess and getting potty. When you said little pots it made me think of little cakes, and now I need to re-watch The Magicians. Happy Blog-along! Elle/EOTC xx