Hello friends, welcome back! This post is the second and final piece in a two-part series which aims to show you the how and why behind Good Mud Ceramics. In the first part of this series, linked here, we talked about the deep internal shifts which took place in order for me to start a creative business. We shared some vulnerable moments and the conversations I had with some of you were both touching and rewarding. I thank you for inviting me into that space with you.

Today, we get to talk about some light-hearted, soul-stirring, wonderfully thrilling topics. Namely, why clay? Why not any other creative endeavor? How did I narrow my focus and find my passion?

I have always been a gal with MANY creative hobbies. I’ve considered myself a poet, a painter, an enthusiastic embroidery amateur, a baker, a gardener, a sketch artist, and a print maker. While I truly enjoyed each of these hobbies, they never really… stirred my soul. I would enjoy the act of making and the creative playtime, but when it was over I usually felt satisfied. There was no lingering calling, or feeling that I had to revisit the work. In a way, it felt as if I was a creative tourist.

“Oh dear, please excuse me, I’m about to vacation in embroidery this afternoon. Ta-ta!”

These creative pursuits were more short visits, a creative vacation. Now, to be clear, this is wonderful. I would never advocate for monetizing every ounce of creative joy you experience. I still play in these other forms, and often, I’m able to mine for sparkling gems of inspiration during my creative stay, and then bring those treasures back to the clay studio.

This was a stark contrast to how I felt when I discovered clay. I’ve often described my first encounter with clay as “coming home”- and truly, there’s no better description. As soon as I entered my first community studio in 2019, there was no doubt in my mind that I was exactly where I was meant to be. I think what I experienced was a sudden and unexpected meeting with Purpose and Passion.

So, why clay? It’s pretty simple, honestly. I don’t think I could ever not clay. Clay has become just as much apart of me as my own hands. I know I am not the first artist to encounter this phenomenon- it’s something unique to our community. To find something so wholly connected to yourself is a beautiful and liberating feeling. Let me tell you a secret, though.

I don’t think I would have connected so deeply with clay if I hadn’t toured the rest of the art world first.

Every craft, every creative endeavor, every moment of chasing curiosity helped shape me into the person I was entering the clay studio. The most beautiful thing is that these practices continue to inform and inspire my art in surprising ways. By engaging in, and living a creative life, I was ready to find ceramics. Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, Big Magic, discusses this in such beautiful detail. In summary, what she says is “follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart.”

My fellow creatives, makers, friends, and studio mates, if I could pass along one piece of advice it would be to take to heart Elizabeth Gilbert’s words. Inspiration is all around you and it’s begging you to playfully follow along. Keep a notebook and write down what sparks your heart or stirs your soul. Allow yourself to notice the beauty that surrounds you; the beauty that speaks directly to you. Make yourself available for your Purpose and Passion to surprise you.

Be ready, friends. It’s all there waiting for you.