Studio Update: Week of 4/9/23

This week was mainly spent decorating all of the things that I made the previous week. I have been feeling pretty low energy lately. I think a mix of things in my personal life as well as the fact that I have been making nonstop for almost a year now have led to me feeling pretty burnt out and ready for some time off. I am really excited for this summer honestly. I have been going back and forth on if I even want to go into the studio at all over the summer. Though I still have so many things I would like to create, and that I am excited to make, I feel like I have to take a step back and think about what would be best for me long term. Ceramics has such a harsh view on productivity at times and I often think back to last summer when I got to visit Giselle Hick's home studio. She talked a lot about making sure to take care of herself first before her studio practice. Her mornings would often be slow and maybe filled with a workout and some friends and then she would spend her evenings in the studio. She mentioned that she was not afraid to take time for herself because it was the best thing that she could do for the longevity of her studio practice as well as her wellbeing. That's the sort of relationship that I want to have with clay, healthy and something that's part of a whole. I want my life to have more in it even though the studio will always have a top priority to it. All that to say, I will not let myself feel guilty for taking some time to recharge, I think I deserve it and I think my studio practice will benefit from it. I am excited to take my dog for picnics and walks by the river, a consistent workout schedule, catching up on some reading, lots of sketching and honestly I would love to get back into oil painting because it's been a hot second! Anyways, this week was good and filled with solitude. I took most of my work home and decorated it from my kitchen table as I watched my dog sleep on the couch. I don't know why I haven't been working from home more often, my new tera sigalatas are so easy to transport.( I keep them in talenti ice cream containers that seal closed. It gives me justification for buying the fancy icecream often).

Image 1: Cup decoration in progress

Image 2: a drop bowl being decorated

Image 3: Lipstick is your best quality ( a true quote from my grandma!)

Image 4: Bisqued clown set

Image 5: I can't go fishing it makes me sad- the plate