Inspiration, Creativity, Growth and Self Care

When my hands weren't in clay, they were in my garden this summer, growing lots of vibrantly colored sunflowers and dahlias, as well as a bounty of veggies and aromatic herbs. My garden is a source of inspiration, creativity and solace. Nature's lines, patterns and forms captivate my gaze, and they beautifully intertwine into the pottery designs I bring to life. Here are a few captivating detail shots that truly reflect my awe and wonder for the stunning beauty that surrounds us every day.

Aside from my pottery and my gardening, I also teach yoga classes. Recently I taught movement at a summer session at Penland School of Craft, a beautiful school just 10 minutes from my home. It was an honor to be able to share helpful tips and movements that have helped me in my body. As an artist, I can relate to a lot of aches and pains that can come from working repeatedly at a craft. Sometimes I am so engrossed into the making of my pots that I'm not paying attention to how I'm holding my body. Through the past 16 years of practicing yoga as well as incorporating strength training, I have been able to bring stability and ease into my body which enables me to continue my creative pursuits in the pottery studio. It was wonderful teaching fellow artists up at Penland and help them find ways to move their bodies, or even invite them to slow down and rest, to change gears for a while after working for hours in their studios.  Something that one artist there said to me really hit home. They said they had never paid as much attention to their body as they did their artwork. What would happen if we put just as much care into our self care practices as we did our creative work? Whatever kind of work you do, whatever you find yourself doing that you put so much passion into, what if you also put that into your body, into your awareness? For me, I have found that regular self care practices of yoga, breathwork, meditation, and daily mindfulness in everyday moments fuel my creativity and focus in the studio. I hope to create more workshops and opportunities to teach artists movement and self care practices to help them in their studios, so stay tuned...

Check out this wonderful deck at Penland where I taught movement all week!