Is it talent or practice?

I keep a small collection of pieces that I have done through the years. They are not of museum quality or even worthy of being in anyone's possession but my own. I have hung on to them to remind myself that yes, I have earned my way as a potter.

I believe that passion is where creativity, learning new skills, and having the patience to keep going all stems from. Everything else falls into place from there. When I'm not making pottery, I am thinking about it.

Creativity comes from your imagination. What else can I do with this? How can I make this better? What design possibilities are there? The ideas are endless. I have found that it has taken years to find that niche that I am comfortable in. To get there, however, I have had to try everything that interests me. Am I good at all of those ideas? Definitely not. I have had my share of disasters. But there is the curiosity to try something new.

Let's talk about skills. Those pieces I have kept through the years are my proof that I have gotten better. I have learned new skills. That comes with practice. I have no clue how many mugs I have made over the years, but every year I have learned something, a new shape, a new way to attach handles, new designs to try. The bottom line here is that this happens with practice, lots and lots of practice.

Patience is key, especially when it comes to working with clay. A beginner can easily get discouraged but know that every time you get on the wheel, it's going to easier. Don't get me wrong. Some days are better than others. Some days I wonder why I stepped into the studio at all. It's all part of the process. I love when it all comes together and muscle memory creates exactly what I had planned.

As a medium, clay is always teaching, testing, and challenging. It's that never-ending wealth of possibilities that can be discouraging at times but also give a satisfaction like no other medium I have worked with. The best part is, I get to share it with others.