Art is a way for people to express themselves, creating poems of emotions without saying any words. Ceramics is an amazing representation of this.

“I feel like clay is such an amazing way to just relax and express yourself at school, in a way that just feels so easy and natural,” sophomore Lily Dowell said.

With clay, artists can tell their life stories, things they have been struggling with that they could never find the correct words for. It can be a form of communication to the world if an artist can’t find their physical voice.

Junior Haly Washburn agreed.

“I have used clay as a way to express a lot of how I am feeling, as well as specific events that have happened in my life,” he said.

Deep emotion can be attached to ceramic pieces. Every groove and detail made in the piece can hold so much emotion, especially depending on the state the artist was in while making their piece. Even if the piece’s design does not necessarily have a meaning, or story, the piece itself can hold an incredible amount of emotional value to the artist.

“Art does in general.” Clay Fundamentals teacher Renee Fritts said. “It gives you something to keep your mind focused on for a while, and it just kind of allows you to forget other things that are going on.”

Ceramics can be a time-consuming hobby. It’s something the artists have to have patience for. Rushing the process could cause the artist to possibly miss a step or mess up something that in the long run is irreversible.

“I think when you enjoy art in general, you know things take time, dedication, a lot of problem solving, and the willingness to change and adapt to those changes.” Fritts said

Clay artists have to teach themselves to be versatile with their work – not everything will be perfect the first time, but destroying the piece just because it wasn’t to their immediate expectations can, in the long run, prevent learning possibilities and the ability to have fun when making ceramic pieces.

Clay teacher Natalie Brown agreed.
“I first got into clay because my mom wanted to take some classes at an art center, and she wanted me to do something with her, so kind of a mother-daughter deal, and I thought pottery would be fun,” Brown said. “That was my first clay class I ever took, and I made some very ugly pots, but I had a blast.”

Mistakes, though, for some can be an amazing stress reliever. Working with clay takes the majority of the artist’s attention, which can leave them distracted with whatever stressors are going on in their lives.

“I feel clay is a perfect way to get your anger out,” Dowell said “Especially when you’re centering clay.”