Students reflect and highlight the creative process of creating pottery at Muddy Creek Pottery in Wolcott, Vermont.
“There isn’t really a difference in my mind from one cup to another as far as function goes…mass produced cups can still be made to have all the small details as handmade ones. The real difference for me when I create is it makes me really acknowledge the time that goes into handmade pieces. It reminds me how much effort goes into making all the stuff we have. If everyone stopped treating items like a luxury, we might find ourselves in a society that focuses on owning fewer things of more personalized importance rather than the single-use consumer ideals that are currently very present.” -Zenaide McCarthy
“Every part of the pottery process is nerve-wracking and exciting all at the same time. Something can go wrong at every stage – from centering to trimming and bisquing to glazing. Sometimes the “perfect” piece is thrown, only to get gouged by a tool when your hand slips. It makes it all the more rewarding and satisfying when the pieces that survive the process are finished. Finishing one batch is exciting to look at and a challenge to improve the next.” -Kali Spacek
“This may sound cliche, but working with raw clay has made me feel more connected to the Earth. The process of throwing clay on the wheel is almost meditative when you get it right but can be frustrating at times, trying to control the clay. This has taught me patience as well. Patience to trust the process which is worth it when you see the final result.” -Anushka Saraswat
“What a joy it is to hold the clay, to feel it slip between the fingers as it turns, set with our intentions and hopes. Carefully, carefully take it from the wheel. Gently, gently don’t bump it too much. This is your progeny after all. What a joy it is to breathe our life into the Earth.” -Aidan Hodges
“Once I tried throwing a small pot with my eyes closed. The feeling of the small lump of clay shifting into being centered was almost jubilant when felt through just my hands. I couldn’t see if the walls were straight, but I could feel it. My hands knew the motions, and I was surprised to find that they didn’t need my eyes for support. I did have to use my vision for the later steps as the clay got thinner and easier to damage. I shaped it by sight, but from time to time I closed my eyes again to let myself feel the flow of the pot again.” -Paige Harris
“Everything at the pottery studio is surreal. Everything that isn’t clay or the wheel melts away. The work of making pots and the peace of the studio is all you feel.” -Julien Wilder
“Pottery has been an eye-opening experience that requires intense learned patience and steadiness. The feeling of clay between your hands feels natural, and the creation of your choosing that comes together through natural materials…clay, water, manual effort…is a heartwarming feeling. Seeing your creations fired and glazed puts all the hard work into perspective. My mugs and bowls are objects I’ll keep forever.” -Jamie Perlstein
“I’ve never been more compelled or captivated by an art form. Since I was a child I’d always pride myself in my creativity but never found an artform that represented an extension of how I truly feel. Now with pottery, I feel closer than ever to developing a relationship with myself and art that I had longed for as a child. Creating pottery at the Muddy Creek studio has been an incredible and surreal experience & I cannot wait to do it again.” -Collin Klute
“Working with wheel thrown pottery has been a very interesting and special experience for me. Unlike any other medium I have worked with, clay provides a sense of freedom and creativity, that lets you slow down and focus on your creative side, without judging the results. The clay flows through your hands, and reminds you to slow down and relax, while making exciting stuff.” -John McKay
