Why I Love Pottery So Much!

Why I love pottery so much

         Pottery, the dirtiest art I have ever seen, now is part of my life.  Why do I love it so much?  Is it because it brings dirty stains on my shirt and ruins my appearance?  No!  Is it because it’s so dirty that I can breathe dusty air all the time?  No!  Then, why is it?  Pottery has an amazing world, let me show you some parts of it!

I had never tried to do pottery when I was in China.  Actually I barely see it in China.  So three years ago, when I sat in front of a wheel and was told “That’s pottery,” I felt unreal and didn't know what to do.  I was given a piece of clay, and I was taught how to prepare the clay to be threw on the wheel.  I just rolled the clay again and again, and rolled it into a small ball.  Simple!  Then my teacher demonstrated how to center the clay.  He put the ball on the wheel, added water, and as soon as he finished his sentence, “Put your hands on two sides of the clay, and press the clay steadily,” he finished centering the clay.  The clay looks exactly like a cylinder.  It took him two seconds.  “That was easy,” I said.  My teacher laughed and didn't say anything.  

So I started to try, but I regretted my words as soon as I touched the turning clay.  It was not easy at all!  Instead of controlling the clay, I was shaken by the clay.  It was so weird.  The harder I pushed on the clay, the harder I shaken.  The piece of clay likes an untamed horse, eagerly wanted to get rid of my hands.  Soon I surrendered.  Nothing was left on the wheel and all the clay stick to my hands.  My teacher laughed and said “Doesn't look good!  Keep practicing!”  So I started to fight with the clay.  I punched it, and it punched back.  I cut it, and it crushed on my face.  But I did get better.  Instead of nothing, something likes pumpkin pie appeared on the wheel.  And after three weeks’ fighting, I finally could make a sloppy cylinder.  I felt so contented!  So why do I love pottery?  Is it because it takes me a long time and freak me out? No. It’s because after all the frustration and practice, my hard work actually paid back!

Everything became easier after I learned how to center the clay.  Dropping hole was quite easy.  I just had to feel and find the center.  Shaping wall was not that hard.  Slowly raise the clay from the bottom to the top.  I thought they were not hard because I was not afraid of failure anymore.  Used too much strength and crushed the cylinder?  Added too much water?  Found bubbles in the cylinder?  I failed again and again.  But every time I failed, I learned a lesson.  I enjoyed my failure and improvement.  After I learned all the basic skills, I started to work on the shape.  “The cylinder can be shaped to anything you want,” that’s the only thing my teacher taught me.  I can make a bowl, a vase, a candle holder, but are they all?  No! I can make everything I want!  I feel so free!  The door of my creativity was unlocked.  After I had been practicing for two years, I realized that I found the principle of doing pottery---be patience, keep practicing and don’t be afraid to image and try!

       I love pottery!  It opened a new world for me!  In this world, I realized that hard work will pay back.  In this world, I realized that the power of keeping trying is unlimited.  In this world, I realized that I should be brave to image and try! 
-KW