Of all the hobbies I have been involved with, ceramics has been the most exciting, the most creative and the most satisfying. From the moment I first dug my hands into a mound of wet, squishy clay, I knew that ceramics and pottery was what I wanted to do. Clay is nothing more than earth, the most basic material in our lives. One cannot get closer to Mother Earth any other way. And pottery is probably the world’s oldest hobby…
In the art of ceramics one creates things in all three dimensions and finishes them in colored glazes; they are objects to look at and admire, objects that are useful and items that are necessary in our everyday lives. Imagine drinking from a coffee mug you made last week, or eating a meal off a plate you designed and made yourself! It is an exciting feeling.
We were having guests for a group of friends one year and we decided to serve a salmon. “What will I serve it on?” said my wife, “it is a big fish.” Off I went to the studio and made a dish especially for the large salmon. Our home has many items I have made over the years, all finished in beautiful glazes, and many being used for one purpose or another. Some of the pieces look very professional and others rather amateurish, but it’s not important – I made them all with my own two hands.
We have a ceramics studio here at the retirement home complete with instructor. Few of the residents go there. If one is looking to spend a few satisfying hours being creative, that’s the place to be.
