Having a hobby is a great way to reduce stress by taking your mind away from the hustle and worries in your life. Pottery is one of those beautiful hobbies that can be very soothing (and frustrating, but let’s focus on soothing).
There is something about taking a wet lump of clay and knowing that under the right conditions, it can become something stunning. The feeling of the earth in your hands is soft and malleable and yet strong enough to stay in shape.
There is also something about knowing that pottery is generally a silent hobby, you are alone with your thoughts. It is peaceful to be calm and still.
Sitting at the wheel with purpose is a practice in mindfulness. You can focus on nothing but the piece of clay in front of you. Your hands must slow down, your mind must be still. If you rush anything, the vessel will become unstable and fall. You must be in the zone to be successful.
There is a hypnotic notion of the wheel spinning around. Gently trimming a pot and seeing the trimmed clay fall away into beautiful ribbons and spirals is so satisfying. Think about the satisfaction when you peel an apple without stopping and have one long piece of skin … trimming pottery is like that, on steroids.
Pottery is an excellent way to express yourself creatively, there are no rules, no templates, only a loose structure. You can create whatever you like (within the boundaries of size and physics), however, you would like.
You want to make a statement piece, you can; you want to make a repetitive set of dinner plates, you can; you are only limited by your mind.
If mindfulness or creative outlet is not your thing in that moment, you can also use pottery to get out some frustrations. You can knead clay, throw out a slab (and no I do not mean in the bin, it is an actual technique) or change the shape of a leather hard pot by hitting it with a paddle.
Clay does not mind taking a beating, in fact it quite likes it. There is something for everyone with pottery … well everyone who likes to get their hands dirty.
