Studio Update: Week of 3/2- 3/8

This week I finished up the form on my sculptural pie stand that I started the week before. This included adding the feet to the form and making sure that the plate would be easily removable for cleaning and such. I have been fighting off a lot of guilt for not being as productive in the studio as usual even though I have honestly never been this burnt out in my life. I feel like everyday I am dragging myself to the finish line. I need a break, and a decently long one. I think that the combination of personal and family issues, such a high level of productivity for so long, working in customer service for 5 days every week, some pretty substantial roommate problems, and the state of our Country has really taken a toll on me. I have felt a bit stuck thinking about my next steps because I could not afford to move even if I got a residency, and frankly, I don't currently have the energy for it either. Figuring out a ceramic lifestyle that doesn't constantly revolve around burn out may be tricky but I am brainstorming. Most likely I will take a year to recover from this burnout, There are so many things that I would like to make outside of ceramics that would benefit my dinner parties, and this will give me the energy to peruse those things for a bit. But the goal is a temporary pause so that I can set myself up for a sustainable future in ceramics, even if that means dealing with the shame of stopping when my studio mates keep moving forward.