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Welcome to my blog about my journey through this book and it's challenges. It's a simple exercise, but it's good for me. I hope you enjoy the blips and slips and funny moments. You may even learn a thing or two too!



Saturday, April 30, 2011

Week 17--Stay Curious--Saturday Evening

The "Clay & cocktails" class was fun; this week's task challenged me to, " learn new skills, explore new places, meet new people, try new hobbies, and find ways to enjoy a day."  Check, check, check, check and...check!  I did all of these during Friday night's class and discovered, in the process, that I really like "throwing" clay.

I learned the clay contextual meanings of: molding, slipping, scoring, throwing, rolling, pushing and patting.  I have got to find a way to incorporate these verbs into my daily vernacular more often. They could lend some much-needed color to a gray office meeting!

I met some friendly ladies and a one nice guy; thirteen registered for the class, one man, twelve ladies--it was a baker's dozen!  Wine, cheese, and fruit were offered throughout the class--fabulous--and I volunteered right off the bat to start off with the "throwing" portion of class to make my bowl. 

Thanks go to my father for teaching me how to finish drywall and mix "mud" to a myriad of consistencies and textures.  I felt like a kid again--and loved it.  Although throwing clay on the wheel is not precisely like mixing mud in a bucket with a drill and four foot beater, it does require some innate "feel."  Though I started off with a simple bowl and had to relinquish my seat to another class member, I could have easily stayed at the wheel the entire two hours! 

Our second task of the evening was to make a clay bird sculpture. I admit, I did not enjoy this nearly as much as the throwing portion of the evening, and I believe it is because it requires patience.  I move too quickly, and clay demands...time.  A robin is what I was aiming for, my bird ended up looking like a worn-out feather boa with a peacock's tail.  Don't worry, I'll post pictures as soon as both my bowl & bird have been fired and painted.

I left the evening enlivened; I realized how much I missed "getting my hands dirty."  Even in the brief span of a half hour, I knew I needed to find ways, outlets to be more creative on a consistent basis.  My husband remarked at some point after our first year of marriage that I owned a lot of bowls.  I use them for everything--loose change collection depots, containers for fruit, my "junk" bowls, earrings, old wine corks (I'm seeing how many I can collect in my lifetime) and the likes. 

I have one particular bowl I purchased in college at a student art fair.  It's various shades of green and has an earthly texture about it.  I use it for bobbie pins and hair clips.  I see it everyday and see the inscribed signature and realize someone put their time, energy and creative juices into this creation.  It's a little piece of them; I believe that is what it's all about.

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