Throwing Clay is not easy

Tonight my pottery class was a humbeling experience. I went later to class because we had dinner at the Friary so I didn't get to have my teacher around as long as normal. I trimmed pots last week so it was time to throw more clay for new pieces. Throwing clay is using a pottery wheel to create pieces. The first class when I learned how to throw it came fairly easy but tonight this was not the case.

I had trouble centering the clay, which is important so that your pot does not become lopsided or too thing and break. Also I was having trouble by getting my clay to wet. Clay absorbs water quickly and once it is too wet it is hard to work with until it dries out again.

Although this was frustrating I learned two lessons from the clay. The first is that you have to continue to keep your life in balance, and working on your centering. You cannot work too much or play too much but rather find a balance between the two and remember to take care of yourself.

The second thing I learned was that I cannot absorb all of the stimulus that is around me. I can only pick up bits and pieces at a time or I will not be able to concentrate if there are too many projects going at once.

My time was not completly lost because Ray Boswell, the man who owns the studio came in and showed me some techniques to create a bowl. So it took until my last lump of clay this night but I did accomplish something. The bowl in the picture is the one that I ended up with and is one of the better pieces that I have created.

God continues to teach me lessons in unexpeceted places.