This past March I decided it was finally time to secure a spot in the coveted pottery class here at UCSB’s recreation center. I had tried in years past to enroll, but I was always beaten to it. If you don’t already know, the pottery class fills up almost instantly every quarter.
Taking The Opportunity
This year, I woke up at 8am to log onto my computer, feeling the same stress as trying to secure Harry Styles tickets on Ticketmaster. I logged on to the Rec Cen website a couple minutes early just to be ready, and by some stroke of luck I managed to be 40th in the queue of over 400 people.
At first I was sad that none of my friends had gotten a spot with me, but I decided to take my opportunity while it was still there — and I have no regrets!
Letting Go Of Expectations
My first day at the beginner pottery class was exciting. I hadn’t touched clay since my 3D art class in high school, but I always thought it would be such a cool hobby to pick up. I had seen lots of videos on Tiktok prior to the class, getting inspiration from the endless possibilities of creations you can make.
The wheel was super intimidating at first, so during the first class the instructor told us just to get familiar with the clay, and make something with our hands. I forgot how tedious it is to make a pinch pot, but as soon as I grabbed my piece of clay I was determined to make it perfect.
The thing about clay is that it is sort of unruly; Too much pressure or not enough can result in wonky shapes and a finished product that may be better off being rolled back into a ball of clay. I tried to have grace with myself as I’ve been out of practice for a while, and once I let go of my expectations, it felt fun and I was able to experiment with my creativity.
Imperfection Is The Perfect Place To Start
My first piece was pretty thick and a tad uneven, but the instructor advised to keep all of your projects, whether or not they’re perfect, saying that the ones with character often hold a special place later on. So I kept this piece, adding a lace decal and a cute heart to embellish it and try out some new techniques.
Each class since then has been a sort of choose-your-own-adventure, where the instructor starts off with a little how-to lesson and everyone gets started on their own projects.
My first time behind the wheel, I sat down with no idea what I was doing or what I wanted to make. I followed the advice from the instructor on how to get started, and started noticing all the multitasking and steps it takes, feeling overwhelmed and like I would never get the hang of it. Then the instructor helped me out with my shaping, directing me on the smaller techniques.
Mind To Body Connection: Challenges and Improvements
Once I was on my own I realized pottery is actually a very intuitive thing. The process is methodical, but the clay behaves differently every time. Knowing how to salvage a piece when the clay goes rogue and understanding how it reacts is how the pieces get better each time.
Each project requires flexibility and a mental picture of the techniques to get a polished final product. Sometimes when I am making a new project, what I hoped would be a mug ends up being a bowl, but the process teaches me something new each time, and I end up getting cute new dishes out of it!
Pottery as Meditation
Not only has pottery allowed me to have a creative outlet and something physical to work on, I feel like it has also really opened my eyes to how strong the mind-body connection can be. By practicing on the wheel for 6 weeks now, I have made various projects (and scrapped a few), and am getting a better feel for the materials each time.
Making a piece is almost like cooking, the recipe can be the same but some ingredients may need a little more or less. Each time is different, which pushes me to stay present and aware of what the clay needs. This practice has become meditative for me, as every week when I walk into the studio, I leave all of my distractions at the door and get to focus on my practice.
Experimenting with shaping, painting, glazing and creating whatever I want has given me a sense of freedom that has brought back my passion for art and creativity. So far, my finished products are getting better each week– with new shapes, colors and ideas flowing, the knowledge of my past experiences builds on to each new piece.
how to get started
All in all, this is your sign to make sure you get a spot for the pottery class, as not only will you come out of it with some cool new ceramics, you will also carry a new sense of creativity and connectivity with your mind.
If you are planning to stay over summer, pottery registration opens June 2 at 8:30am. Make sure to log on to the website a couple minutes early with your NetID to be first in the queue! It is also available for sign up in-person at the Rec Cen, but it is advised to get there a little while before online registration opens. Keep an eye out for emails from UCSB Recreation for additional details!
Classes are offered for $100 in Session A (5 weeks) and $120 in Fall, Winter and Spring quarters (9 weeks). In my opinion, this is totally worth the price of the knowledge and endless amounts of ceramics you can make and take home with you! Think of all the Mother’s day gifts, birthday presents and personal trinkets you can create!
Best of luck to those of you who secure a spot, it’ll be a blast.