Back in 2017, as a 30 year old mum of a nearly one year old, I found myself desperate to have something that was just for me. This was one of my biggest struggles as a new mum, nothing in my world or day to day existence was just about me. I wouldn't have classed myself as a selfish person pre-baby, but suddenly I was craving some time to be selfish!
We lived in a village in Somerset that distributed a small newsletter each month and there was a very simple advert from a chap in the village who was teaching pottery. I was instantly intrigued. I'd never really thought about pottery before and was keen to give it a try.
I was soon spending most Tuesday evenings sat at a wheel. My teacher, Colin, was the most lovely and patient man. He was in his 80s and had been creating pottery since his teens. I was quickly envious of this! He had converted his garage into a pottery haven, housing two large kilns, a myriad of glazes, a spray glazing booth and all the oxides and tools you could need when glazing. Behind his garage was a large shed which accommodated two Brent wheels and a standing kick wheel. There was also a long bench for hand building and making handles, etc. It's amazing how much he crammed in that shed.
It didn't take long for me to fall in love with clay and every Tuesday I would finish work and get to the pottery shed as quickly as I could. For two hours a week I wasn't a mum, I was just me and I'm so grateful to Colin and to pottery for pulling me back into the world of creativity after a decade of other pursuits.
A year and a half into my potting adventure and Colin took his annual break for Christmas and New Year and sadly I didn't return to potting in 2019 as he passed away that spring. I have a pottery book that he leant me, which upon trying to return to his family they assured me that I should keep (none of his family followed his pottery footsteps) and it's one of my proudest possessions, sitting on my green bookshelves in our living room.
Later that year we moved house and became pregnant with our second child, fast forward to the following year and the pandemic arrived which then led onto us looking to move to south Devon. I'm sure you can imagine that pottery was low on my list of priorities.
Once we were settled in South Devon in late 2021, a conversation with a family member led me to look for pottery groups. Finding a group which was weekly, affordable and allowed you to make whatever you want, wasn't the easiest thing. But I stumbled across a very dated website for a studio, just a ten minute drive from our home which offered pottery groups most nights. The third tutor I emailed had space on Wednesday nights and boom, I was booked in to start in February 2022. I spent most Wednesday nights for two years at this pottery studio (until I upgraded to my current rented space) and it transformed pottery from a hobby to a business and with that changed so much else in my life. Bringing me friendships and a feeling of knowing I had found a home in south Devon.
This is your reminder to do something for you!
Tracey