notes on moving
Two months ago we moved from the cityscape of Newcastle upon Tyne to idyllic countryside in Northumberland. It wasn’t until after we moved that I properly realized just how much of my adult life I’ve spent in a city. Chicago, Edinburgh, Pavlodar, Aberdeen, Newcastle. I grew up on a lake in rural Wisconsin - jumping off of our dock in the summer and sledding down our neighbor’s hill in the winter. Moving out to the countryside has felt like coming home.
It has also led to some unexpected perks.
A friend of a friend put me in touch with a local potter just a few miles away who has very kindly agreed to share her kiln with me. It reminded of my small town in Wisconsin where knowing everyone within a 5-10 mile radius is a way of life. I’m so thankful for these connections. Suddenly I’ve been able to fire (and therefore make) a lot more pots than I used to and this has brought with it a lot of things to learn.
At the start of October, I had a week off between submitting my PhD thesis and starting my new job. I used this week to make pots for six days in a row. A whole week of making, and knowing I could fire everything I made, completely changed how it felt to make pots. In that week, I focussed on making consistent sets of mugs, teacups and bowls. I learned how to throw for a day at a time, rather than for a few hours. I had to learn how to best manage shelf space in my small studio and how to keep on top of buckets of reclaimed clay. I loved feeling what it was like to put handles on 20 mugs at a time instead of five.
Having the opportunity to make more also gave me the push I needed to think seriously about selling my work. I’ve now signed up for my first two craft fairs next month (more about that soon) which have been an absolute whirlwind and a joy to prepare for.
I’m excited to see how living back in this space that feels like home further impacts my pottery. Will I make conscious changes to my work or will my surrounding’s influence be quieter? I’ll just have to see, but for now, I’m feeling incredibly grateful for the opportunities it’s given so far.
