Between Projects

Creating a practice.

There was snow on the ground this morning, and the cold settled in early. I had the day off, and the plan was simple. I needed to make pots for the Christmas show, which is almost a week away. I already had a loose idea of what I needed to throw, and I hoped a few larger pieces would come out of the kiln in time.

Last night I took a little time to go on a date with my wife. I had not seen her much over the weekend. I was at the wood firing, then back at the big paper factory. I still get a bit of anxiety before shows, knowing it will be a rush to get everything made and fired. Part of me wants to sit inside with tea and a blanket and read all day. If I did that, I would fall even further behind. Since I do not sell work that is already made, everything for the shows has to be created here. Some shops that buy and resell may not understand why I do not have time to decorate their spaces or finish every idea I planned. When I am not creating, I am doing other things. I may need to look at some of those things and decide if they are worth the time. If I can work a wood firing through the night and camp in the cold, I should be able to step into the studio and make a few wearboards of pots.

I struggle with transitions between tasks. If I have time after a shift at the paper factory, it is hard to switch into clay work. If I am firing the kiln, it is hard to throw. My mind sticks to one thing at a time. Maybe the answer is to start a new task before the last one fully ends, so the break is not so wide. I worry that if I stopped writing these Dailies, I would not return to them. It would feel strange not to get my thoughts down. So I will keep writing and keep working, one thing at a time, and see where it goes.

I want to keep pottery fun and not let the stress creep in. One thing each day adds up over time. These Dailies show me that I can write most days and find something to talk about. If there is no such thing as writer’s block for me, maybe there is no such thing as pottery block either. I just need to reach the point where making pots every day is a practice, no matter what. I have tried before, but maybe I have not tried in the right way.

If I were living yesterday a second time: I would have done the same things. It was quite nice to take a break and spend time with my wife.

Things I am grateful for: My ability to have something become a practice.

If I get to live to be 86, I might only have: 12,866 days left to practice more.

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