| Not long ago, I stood in my studio feeling completely burned out—creatively drained and frustrated. In a moment of raw emotion, I threw out six of my paintings. Six! I gotta tell ya, it felt great to let them go. (Hey, what can I say? I am an Aries 🙂 Anyway, these weren’t just canvases; they were hours of effort, countless brushstrokes, and pieces of my artistic journey. But at that point, they felt heavy—like anchors pulling me down rather than wings lifting me up. Something had to give.I needed air. I needed space. I needed something different. So, I signed up for a pottery class with Sidne at Persimmon Gallery. Signing up wasn’t planned or strategic—it was instinctual. And it turned out to be exactly what I needed. During one of the first sessions, I created a bowl. But not the perfectly symmetrical kind you’d find on a shelf. No, this bowl was made from torn strips of clay that I textured and then smooshed together. The result is raw, wild, and beautifully imperfect. I absolutely love it! |
| That simple act of letting go—of ditching precision and embracing process—was completely liberating. There was no inner critic whispering about how the lines weren’t right or the colors didn’t match. Just my hands, the clay, and the joy of creating for creation’s sake. That bowl cracked something open in me. Or maybe it healed something that had cracked . Either way, I returned to my painting practice not with reluctance, but with renewed energy. I no longer felt trapped by the need to “get it right.” I felt playfully open and curious again. It was as if the clay had reshaped not only my bowl, but also my mindset. And while I’m happily painting once more, I can already tell: more pottery classes are in my future. Because sometimes the fastest way back to your own path… is through a completely different door. So if you’re feeling stuck, burned out, or weighed down by perfection, maybe it’s time to rip something up. Try something new. Make a mess. And let it set you free. |