Because Creativity - the lure of clay, with Vanessa Simpson
Join me on an adventure, exploring and celebrating creativity of all kinds, just because.
Dear readers, welcome to the second Because Creativity guest post, with
.Vanessa is a photographer, gardener, writer and a potter, who lives in her childhood home in Somerset UK, after spending many years travelling across the globe with her husband.
I hope that one day Vanessa will share the story of how she came to be back in her childhood home.
I have loved reading Vanessa’s story of how she came to be a potter, and I know you will too.
On Pottery
The lure of clay began early for me; a visit to my father’s old school as a child of about 8 was where I very first saw a potter’s wheel, the spinning wheel head enthralled me and the image of that wheel remains in my mind to this day. At the time I had no idea of course of its possibilities and it was many, many years before I would have an opportunity to use one. Artistically ‘untalented’, I was heartily discouraged from studying art so in truth I don’t even know if my secondary school possessed a wheel and kiln, though I rather suspect in the 80s it probably did.
My creative journey has been long and varied, I enjoy making in almost any of its guises and actually ran a business for a couple of years hosting creative workshops; I thought perhaps I’d find my ‘thing’ but although it has taken a long time and many experiments, I now appreciate that I will always be drawn to making new things and exploring different ways in which the basic skills can be applied.
Clay however is something I have consistently revisited over the years. Shortly after our first daughter was born I signed up for a ceramics evening class, but on the very first week my husband forgot and wasn’t home in time. I would be more resilient about that now, but at the time I felt that it was always going to be difficult to rely on him for childcare despite his best intentions and the course was abandoned. I joined a lovely coffee and clay sort of group while we lived in South Africa, and dabbled again in Belgium as a means to improve my French along with my daughter who was shortly to begin a bilingual programme. I enjoyed these opportunities, but quickly understood that I was never going to be any good at throwing without regular access to a wheel.
Our many moves, mostly international, made it feel impossible to have a wheel of my own and on our return to the UK it took a long time for me to settle back into life here and find my way creatively. I attended a couple of one day pottery workshops, but never managed to secure a place on a regular course, so two years ago I finally had a **** it moment and bought myself a wheel and kiln! I had nowhere but our rather damp and very cold garden shed to house it, but whenever it was warm enough I dragged it outside into the sunshine and happily experimented with YouTube by my side.
I am now lucky enough to have a whole room to myself for the wheel, kiln and the mounting paraphernalia which inevitably accompany creative pursuits. I also, quite by chance at an open garden/sculpture trail locally met a potter who runs weekly groups, not so much classes (though she is an excellent teacher), but a more informal way to try anything with some expertise at hand if required.
Spending time on the wheel, and hand building too, is hugely pleasurable. It’s a good way to spend time mindfully for I really do have to be focussed while throwing, an audiobook will often be playing in the background but I frequently have to rewind! As my skills improve I’m creating larger pieces and a little more consistency, I love experimenting with different surface decorations and have had great fun smoking some of my work; a bonfire has always been a pleasure of mine and the wonderful variation in tone achieved by smoking ceramics is very satisfying.
Glazing remains something of a dark art as far as I’m concerned, I’ve made and used some that I’ve been very happy with and others which were more than a little disappointing. It’s hard not to become too attached to successfully thrown or built items, but I’m learning to relinquish them to the crocks bucket with more ease if they don’t please me.
Pottery has truly taught me the value in accepting failure as part of the process and I think it somehow grounds me. I have many more experiments to try and aspire to create objects that will please more than just my own eyes.
Thank you so much for sharing your pottery and a little of your story with us Vanessa.
Vanessa writes
about “getting to grips with a garden that is ‘much’ bigger than I ever aspired to, accompanied by my shaggy lurcher, six floofy bantams, one grumpy cat and my endless creative pursuits. Oh, and there’s a husband and two daughters in the mix too.”
Have you ever tried pottery?
When I was a child, we played around with air-dry clay and my children love to have a go every now and then. I bought some (more..) last time I went to the craft shop but haven’t had a chance to get it out yet for a play.
When I was in junior school, I made a pottery hippopotamus money box. I remember being so proud of what I’d made and so impatient for it to be fired so that I could take it home. I don’t know what happened to it, but in my memory, it’s still pretty cool!
It’s another creative pursuit that I am longing to try. Especially now, having seen Vanessa’s wonderful creations and reading of her obvious passion.
I have started searching for local pottery classes, but also, Somerset is not so very far away from me and an informal group to ‘try stuff out’ sounds just perfect!
If you have a creative pastime that you do for joy alone that you would like to share as guest post on While I Was Drawing, let me know here.
Would you care to join me in a celebration of creativity of all kinds?
If you are a bit like me, and want to try out all the wonderful and different creative activities just for fun and just for joy; I’ve splashed out on a Zoom licence and I’ll be hosting some Because Creativity online sessions.
Lets make things from clay. Lets knit and crochet and play around with felting. Lets try out lino printing and silk painting. Lets draw and paint and do anything and everything else we can think of or fancy giving a go!
The first session is scheduled for 30th May at 11.30 BST1, where I am going to be doing some crochet, inspired by the first Because Creativity guest post earlier in May, with
.I am going to try this flora granny square! Whether you’ve been crocheting for years or are a complete beginner like me, I am sure that we will have lots of fun just having a go, after all, creativity is in our blood.
You and I and everyone you know are descended from tens of thousands of years of makers. Decorators, tinkerers, storytellers, dancers, explorers, fiddlers, drummers, builders, growers, problem solvers and embellishers -
Bye for now,
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Emily thank you so much for sharing my thoughts on clay, if you ever feel like a trip to Somerset you would be so very welcome to come and play in my studio here! x
I have to admit that I loved reading this!!! I have a story about clay as well but I never did get into creating with clay personally. I've wanted to however! They did teach it in my elementary school and I learned there. My teacher cut his thumb off while making a pot or something. I honestly can't recall all of the details of his story. I was a really little thing, so this was years ago. I ended up making a cute little very small bowl/pot if you can call it that. It was very small! I'll remember that forever too so know what you're talking about. I like to draw, paint, write, make digital works and make videos but I can't honestly say that I could get into crocheting. I LOVE the idea of it mind you but simply can't get into it. I don't know why. Anyway, thanks for such a great story!!! I have tried air clay as well and LOVE it. Although, I'd probably love a wheel more... I've always wanted a kiln but hear they bring your electric bill up ALOT! Due to that, I've never gotten one but ya never do know what the future holds. :) Anyway, thanks again. I absolutely LOVE art!!!