Friday, August 21, 2015

This Is the End


And so it ends,

This was such an interesting experience! Working at Say It With Clay really allowed me to flush out and develop some of my personal ideas and and career choices. Somethings were solidified while others were questioned. Originally I thought “I may be out of my element” (especially when it came to teaching), but as I watched the way they ran the studio I realized I was up to the challenge. Through a little guidance from Abbie and the other staff members I became a competent instructor and worker. My confidence in my abilities to buckle down and help someone has grown. Even though I’m extremely familiar with clay, I was initially nervous giving someone else their first experience with it. I guess I didn’t want to spoil their first time? This confidence in my leadership abilities will definitely help me in the near future. I am preparing to be an Orientation Leader at school and so the new students will really need a guide that is sure of their knowledge and abilities. To be able to fall back on your self is very important when you’re bombarded by eager students and a million questions. The beginning of their college life will be in my hands as it was with clay with the children and adults I taught at Say It With Clay. Working with Abbie also made me realize what kind of artist I want to be and how I want to utilize my degree once I graduate. Abbie severely flexes her degree in Art Therapy, at the heart of her nonprofit is the healing power of artistic creations. It’s in her heart to help and develop a space where people feel great. Unfortunately, from what I observe, she doesn’t really get the chance to put all of her ceramic knowledge to use though. Often she has to run around from meeting to meeting, and stay on top of the business aspect of Say It With Clay. Rarely does she get a chance to sit down and make her own work or make a collection. She has a few pieces here and there that she consistently works on over time but they instantly hit the back burner once she needs to handle business (this is something she is working on, giving herself time to create and express through creations in clay). Observing her delicate balance (or imbalance) has made me realize that in my heart, my artwork is what seems to be most important to me. I’m not sure I would be able to ignore my work for a month or two while I handle paperwork and networking. Her dream was to always run a studio like this and with that comes a lot of responsibility and lack of free time to get dirty. I think what I’m trying to say is that I want my life to revolve around the act of creating art and not the act of running a business. Overall being behind the scenes at a clay studio brought back memories of high school and allowed me to reutilize past knowledge. At the end of the day, I made great connections, wonderful contacts, and intriguing memories. Say It With Clay completed my Summer 2015! :)

Andi Out!

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