The Atlanta Lawyer February / March 2019 | Page 23

A new way of thinking. One of
the difficulties I have encountered
in my ceramics classes has been
altering my thinking to embrace
ambiguity and uncertainty. As at-
torneys we are always planning for
contingencies. Pottery demands
you to go with the flow. There
are very few absolutes. Often my
mental image of a piece and the
final result are worlds apart. People
who do not know what I expected
are often complimentary of a
piece, yet I have to sit with it for
days - sometimes weeks - before
accepting it as-is. Letting go of
the constraints I have placed on
my pottery has allowed me to be
more open in other areas of my
life as well.
Lack of competition. We work in
an adversarial profession. Some
days it feels more cutthroat than
others, but on one level or another,
the other side is seeking to prevail.
In the ceramics studio, my suc-
cess does not diminish that of my
fellow potters. Many of the artists
there have been honing their craft
for more than twenty years. They
are all willing to share their knowl-
edge. They know even if people
attempt to replicate part of their
technique the outcome will not
be the same. When we retrieve
pieces from the kiln and examine
each other’s work, there is noth-
ing but praise, support and useful
feedback for everyone.
Complete focus. While I am in the
studio, I have to set my other affairs
aside. The physical location of the
studio helps; it is in the basement
and cell phone reception is spotty
at best. Nevertheless, pottery de-
mands my full attention. If I come
into the studio with the weight
of the world on my shoulders, it
is usually gone by the end of my
session. In the working world, I
am often pulled in many differ-
ent directions. The frenetic pace
of ordinary life has to take a back
seat while I am in the studio, and
my life is better for it.
Creation. I am still amazed that I
can take a ball of clay that has been
dug up from the ground and turn
it into a vase, a mug, or a bowl. It
would not exist without my hands.
My vision and craft got
it to the finish line. As
lawyers we do not always
have a lot to show for our
hard work. It is nice to be
able to have a physical
representation of the time
I have spent on a project.
No matter the medium, I
would encourage every-
one to find a creative out-
let. Pottery has allowed
me to grow in all aspects
of my life, not just as an
artist. It has improved
my relationships with
my friends and family,
and I get to explore parts
of myself I thought I left
behind in elementary
school. It is pure, unadul-
terated fun.
Stoneware vase: Spearmint glaze with
sodium silicate application; soda fired.
Stoneware vase: Tenmoku glaze with flashing slip
and sodium silicate application; soda fired.
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