I spent the summers of my youth sleeping in cabins deep in the woods, jumping into the chilly waters of Lake Michigan, whiling away afternoons in muddy swimming holes with my brothers. Even in the depths of Wisconsin winters, my family would bundle ourselves to picnic along the shores of the lake and spend each weekend skiing the snowy slopes.
My energetic balance requires time in the elements, so nourishing my well-being while living in New York City doesn’t come easy. But I love this city, so I’ve found ways to cope.
I wander through the hills of Fort Greene Park daily with my pup and my partner. The delight of watching dogs leap through the snow on a wintery day and the thrill of exploring vast blooming flowers in springtime are great joys in my city life. On the occasional Saturday morning we’ll meander through the wooded paths of Prospect Park or run with our pup on the beaches of Queens.
These regular walks bless me with much needed time in nature, which has been proven to boost well-being. They ground me in the season and are a never fail pick-me-up, even on the windiest gray days. I also recognize how very fortunate I am to live near natural space that can give me this daily boost, as economic and racial disparities often allow less access to nature. Public parks and incredible spaces like The Mae House are essential in addressing this.
But for me, these nature walks aren’t enough to make my mental health thrive within the confines of city living. Craving a more intimate connection with nature after years of living in New York City, I found myself back in a pottery studio after half a decade away - and it’s worked.
In my creative process, the four elements are my most essential tools. The earth, in the form of clay, comes to me with a high water content. It’s wet and malleable, similiar to the mud from the swimmingholes of my youth. As the clay goes through it’s various stages, it slowly loses water with the help of air and fire.
If each element isn’t cared for - if air dries the clay too quickly or creates bubbles in the walls of a piece; if the temperature of a firing isn’t quite right - the piece can crack or explode. It’s crucial to harmonize myself and my process with the elements.
Working with the elements and feeling the clay in my hands grounds me, but the pottery peppered throughout my home also gives me daily moments of connection with nature. Nature is my muse; much of my work feels as though it’s pulled directly from the earth. Some of it is specifically made for bringing nature inside, like my vases and planters. Pottery eases the burdens of city living, making connecting with nature a daily practice.
May the pottery in your home bring the calming peace of nature to you in small ways each day.
My Grounding Clay Club is a tactile, more intimate version of my weekly newsletters. I’ll usually create the same piece for each member, but this month each one is completely unique - and something you can use everyday! I have three more spaces for April, if you’d like to join.
I watched this music video with friends last weekend and it’s making me want to pull the empty canvases from my closet shelf and start mixing paints. A little creative release just for me.
I’ve been envisioning a mug displaying this declaration painted under a bridge I pass each day:
Thank you, thank you for being here. xx