Why working with clay was the best way to unblock my creativity
Through the narrow streets of my neighbourhood I walk towards the cosy place where my friend Karin hosts ‘The Clay Club’, her walk-in ceramics classes. No idea yet what I’m going to make.
After a laugh and a cup of tea with the other ‘clay-clubbers’, we all take some clay and start to mould it. Even after 15 minutes with my hands in the clay, I feel meditative and my busy mind is calm. I just let my hands flow without thinking and chat with the other inspiring women there. In no time I feel sparked and inspired.
Blocked creativity or need to de-stress?
Is your creativity blocked in some way? Needs to flow more? The easiest way to unblock may be working with clay. Why? Clay is forgiving. When it’s not what you wanted, you’ll just start over. And that’s a little different for painting or illustrating (although I love that too!).
Working with clay is perhaps the most grounding creative activity there is. Whether you choose a ceramics or pottery course, or buy a piece of self-hardening clay and just get started yourself, clay is a perfect tool to get into that relaxed flow. Our sense of touch helps. The soft, smooth clay is a tactile stimulus that you perceive through the receptors and nerve endings in your hands. They send, in this case positive, signals to the brain and so your body understands that it is safe to fully relax. Karin, who’s trained as a yoga teacher as well, calls it ‘the yoga effect’ of clay… I love that!
“With my hands in the clay, my entire nervous system relaxes”
The ‘yoga effect’ of clay
She says: “Sculpting grounds you completely in your body. Into the present moment. With your hands in the clay, all those busy thoughts seem to disappear in no time. And make way for a serene calm. Your entire nervous system relaxes. This stillness makes space to feel what is there inside you at this moment; feelings, emotions, insights.. It’s easier to connect to your intuition from this place. I see again and again that people who feel a bit blocked completely relax after working with clay and suddenly get new ideas.”
The glazing process
The end result
Glazing samples
Some of my work
Finishing touch: glazing
I love glazing my ceramic work, as it has a certain element of surprise. This is the part you cannot fully control. It’s never a given how it comes out of the kiln. It has to do with many components like temperature, type of clay, type of glaze and how many layers. I used to want to keep more control in the past, but turns out I love that element of surprise the most. Control is such an illusion anyway ;). Let’s surrender and trust the process.
When I started to just enjoy the process and let go of any (clay) goals, my work started to really surprise me! A beautiful metaphor for life itself, right? Creative play without perfectionism or attachment to the outcome. It’s just so freeing (and fun!)