Embracing The Journey

I recently heard about someone’s first experience on the pottery wheel. Sadly, it wasn’t a great one. The teacher had pushed them to make something—to produce—rather than allowing them to simply experience the clay, the wheel, and the moment. It left them discouraged and frustrated instead of what could’ve been a joyful introduction to ceramics.

That story stuck with me. It reminded me how important it is to embrace the journey, especially in a creative practice like working with clay.

At the studio, I often speak about how meditative and calming working with clay can be. The slow process of shaping something from nothing, working with that form and getting lost in the clay. But what happens when we approach the process with fixed expectations.

Those expectations can steal our joy…we imagine a perfect mug, a flawless vase, a symmetrical bowl. We compare ourselves to others, or even to a version of ourselves that we think we should be. But ceramics has a way of humbling us. A crack that forms while the clay dries, a glaze that runs too much or not enough, a piece that warps in the kiln—these things happen. They always will.

But that’s part of what makes this practice so powerful. The unpredictability invites us to stay present. The imperfections ask us to let go.

Yes, the final piece can be beautiful and functional—but the process? The process is where the magic lives. It’s where we can reflect, explore, and even play. It’s where we learn to be patient, and appreciate the now.

So if you’re new to clay—or returning to it after some time—I invite you to let go of the need to create something “successful.” Let your hands explore. Let the clay teach you. Allow the process to be enough.

Because in the end, the journey is the art.