Studio Update: Week of 1/12/25 - 1/18/25

This week was the first week back in classes, and though I spent a little bit in time in the studio over the break, I mostly stayed away and tried to recover from the burnout from the past six months. I found myself being really slow to feeling enthusiastic about being back. I'm still so tired. It's a confusing feeling to navigate because I still have things that I am looking forward to making so it could just be a combination of the winter weather and never ending work schedule outside of the studio. I am thinking more and more about things I can do on the side of ceramics that I would feel proud of and would get me out of customer service. My mind keeps going back to massage, this has been an itch that has been on my mind for at least 7 years now. To be honest, I feel very conflicted with what to do in the coming academic year ( August 2025). I feel confident with my work and I am ready to tackle some residencies but I fear that I can not afford to move and I have little faith that if I did move for a residency, and go into debt for it, that I would be able to replenish that with my current job outlooks. An idea I have been thinking through, for a long while now, is to take a year off from ceramics for the coming academic year and go to massage school. I would then have a job on the side that I can feel proud of, and I can use those skills to help bring relief to the people in my immediate circle as needed ( AKA ceramic artists are always in a lot of pain). I don't know if I would have the time to keep up with ceramics while I do the schooling so it would have to be a brief pause in making to make sure I could set myself up to continue making in the near future. This is a very conflicting idea to navigate because I don't want to feel like I'm disappointing anyone by not immediately stepping into the next move with ceramics, and I don't want to feel like I am falling behind as I see my peers go on to such great ceramic opportunities. I don't want people to look at me and think that I am giving up or that I am "another one of those people who takes a break and never goes back". I have done a lot of self evaluating and I don't believe I am the type of person who would not return to ceramics after I accomplish my side quest. I have always NEEDED an outlet for creativity and the bottom line is I have put too much sweat, blood and tears into ceramics to let it fall to the side. Plus I know I am a very driven person, I don't see myself giving up on shit. I just need to make sure I can sustain it, and I fear that if I keep going forward without a plan on how to survive in this brutal economy then I WILL get burnt out and fall into too much debt. Louisville would be the place to take a step back for a year and do the schooling because it is a relatively cheap place to live. I also think that a year off from intensive making would be really good for my work. I think it would give me opportunities to be inspired by new things. Anyways, that has just been some things on my mind since ceramics is a year by year lifestyle. I am just considering my options for next year and what would be best for me.

This week I started back in the studio and my main goal was finishing a final plate for my upcoming two person show in Louisville. I went to a show opening on Thursday for our old resident artist, as well as a show for an old post bac student. I plan to spring into the new semester by making my 10 bowls for our upcoming empty bowls event. I managed to not take any pictures this week so please refer to the one picture I have below of Lalana's show!

Image: Bunnies from Lalana's show on Thursday