Having never done anything in the Arts, besides band in Elementary, Middle and High School, and a little in college, when I was presented with the assignment to discover more elements of the arts around Athens County, I was excited. But where to begin?
I searched the World Wide Web for some ideas, and asked the director of the Athens County Convention and Visitor's Bureau (where I am currently interning) for some suggestions. The first thing she mentioned was going to Nelsonville Pottery. So, I called them and decided I would take one of their classes. She advised me to cut my nails and wear old clothes that I didn't mind getting a little dirty. Wait! I have to cut my nails?! I never cut my nails! Taking a pair of nail clippers to my long fingers, I cringed as I watched them get shorter and shorter. Then came the hard part of finding a pair of clothes I wouldn't mind getting dirty. Rummaging through my dresser, I found a pair of basketball pants and an old t-shirt. Perfect! My friend Carolyn came to get me at seven, then we were on the way to our first pottery class!
The shop was beautiful. Hand crafted jewelry, pots, plates, in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes, from all over the area adorned the walls. I walked in and met Margaret, telling her how beautiful the store was. She led me in the back where she explained what we would be doing today: throwing pottery. At first I thought this was supposed to be taken literally, but when I asked her what it really meant, she explained that it was where you spin clay on a wheel and shape and form it into a bowl, pot, pitcher, any sort of shape you desire.
She first taught me how to knead the clay, making sure that no air bubbles were present, or else that would ruin the clay. She made it look a lot easier than it was, and I thought for sure I would be getting some definition in my arm muscles by the time I was done! Then, taking one of the balls of clay, she sat down on the wheel, and demonstrated what I would do next. When I attempted to do what she had just done, it didn't look quite the same as her pot.
First, I slammed the clay ball onto the wheel, making sure it stuck. Then, rotating the wheel at a fast pace, I began to shape the clay ball into a half a grapefruit, making sure the sides were all even, had no bumps or deformities, with the help of Margaret of course. After that, came forming a hole in the clay, and pulling out the edges. Well, it's starting to look like something now! Then I flattened out the bottom, and proceeded to raise the walls of the pot slowly. She stressed the importance of doing everything slowly, and keeping the clay wet to help form it better. Raising the walls was the hardest part: I had to take the sponge in one hand, and my fore-finger on my other hand was inside the pot. From there, I gently raised both hands together along the edge, slowly making the walls higher. This was the hardest part, mostly because I kept going faster than I should have, and because I couldn't keep my hands steady enough. But, after some help and patience, it started to look more like a pot than a gray blob of clay. Rounding off the rim of the pot, cutting away the excess at the base, and pulling the pot away from the wheel, I beamed at how much my pot actually looked like a pot!
The experience was one which I will always hold as unique and special for the fact that it made me appreciate this part of the arts a whole lot more. Nelsonville holds their arts as so important to the community, and it was certainly evident in the displays around the shop, and in the people that ran it. I could get a better understanding of why these people did what they did, and why they enjoyed it so much. They held such a passion for their work, and wanted other people to enjoy it just as much as they did. I talked to Jennifer, the owner of Nelsonville Pottery, and she gave me a better insight as to why she took on this job, and why she loved it so much. Doing pottery for nine years, and running the business for six, she explained to me that she is inspired by the people and other artwork around her. She also said that her favorite part of the job is, "seeing people enjoy the creativity of myself, family and friends." I could certainly tell that she had a sincere passion for what she did, just as much as I had a passion for playing trumpet when I was in school.
The art of pottery making had never struck me as something I would do for fun, and had I not been given this assignment, I probably would have never thought to try it out, but I am certainly glad I did have the experience, and will take away a new sense of appreciation for these hardworking people and the magnificent pieces of work they bring to Athens County.
