Teachable Moments

I speak clay. What I mean is, I’m familiar with the lingo associated with creating ceramic art. Fire, cone, underglaze, bisque, grog, raku and slip are all words that have special meaning to a person in the pottery world. The trick is learning to explain familiar terminology and techniques to someone unacquainted with the language. Sharing this knowledge not only helps educate a student wanting to learn about the craft, but also informs customers and other art appreciators.

For me, as I’ve probably mentioned repeatedly, teaching regularly opens my own eyes to new ideas and constructive approaches. It happened this week when I lead a group of students through the steps of making a wrap bracelet. I prepared the step-by-step creation and assembly instructions in my head so I could clearly explain them to the craft party participants. I demonstrated some of the construction techniques and answered questions as they arose. And my students did not disappoint! THEY, in turn, taught me a variety of imaginative ways to achieve the same end result. I learned too!

Remember these two shapes? I asked for your input and you were helpful and telling me your preferences in exchange for a chance to receive one of them as a gift! Thank you for sharing your insights! I am taking them all 'under advisement' to add this item to my inventory. Christine Link @SkeinnyDippngYarn is the lucky recipient of the oval shape on the right!

Teaching and Learning are two sides of the same coin. They go hand in hand. I continually discover additional approaches to my creative process by sharing what I know with others. And it’s not limited to clay. I try to adopt this approach with any conversation. What can I teach and what can I learn from this encounter? A fresh perspective is always welcome. Can you identify any recent teachable moments from your life? 

A visit to Green Spring Gardens in Fairfax, Va. this past week was filled with new garden ideas. I went with my friend Celia who speaks the language of Gardening. It was fun to try to absorb some of her wisdom and enjoy the beauty of nature. Of course, I came home with several new plants for my own landscape!

Learn As You Go

Teaching is one of the ways I learn. I was reminded of that again this past week in a craft party class I taught for The Muse. It was lots of fun resulting in an array of colorful, musical wind chimes that will grace the gardens of each student!

Every class or workshop introduces me to a new group of people. It’s been the start of many friendships and lasting bonds. I enjoy the solitary practice of creation in my studio, but breaking out, sharing class-time with students and getting that interaction is special. 

Teaching gives me new perspective on ‘the way’ I approach and make art. I have built my creative skills through practice and learning from classes and workshops. But when the tables turn and you teach a skill that might be easy for you to do, it’s important to step back and look at it differently. How do you approach this skill if you’ve never done it before?  How do you explain it in words? How do you demonstrate the skill? How do you break it down into understandable, achievable tasks? 

I always come away from teaching a class with ideas that have been sparked by a student. Their technique or approach is often one I’ve never thought of before. Sometimes we repeat what we know, just because it’s what we know. Getting a new perspective from someone approaching it with a fresh perspective is fantastic. 

I like to plan. I make lists, I outline tasks, I set goals. Somehow the classroom setting always veers off the planned course and inevitably leads to new discovery. Perhaps that technique I thought would be so simple to explain, show and teach does not register with the student. It opens up new ways to teach and new ideas of how to create. I'm so grateful to share some of my skills with others -- because in the end I am the one who learns just as much! 

Watch and Learn

I’m a visual learner. It’s the best way for me to acquire a new skill, remember it and then begin to practice it. The Internet is a whole new resource for learning this way through video tutorials on any topic you can imagine. My phone and computer are now an integral part of accessing new information. When I teach, demonstrations are always the center of a lesson. Talking and written handouts are important tools to reinforce new lessons, but showing how a technique is accomplished helps it become intuitive for students.

I often demonstrate my own hand-building process at galleries and shows. First, it’s an icebreaker and opens the door for people to engage and learn a little bit about pottery. Non-artists are drawn to see (and touch) and watch how a pot is made. Artists like to ‘talk shop’, observe and swap ideas. In both cases, people walk away with a new appreciation for the clay-making process and a new connection to the artist behind the craft.

This coming week I’ll be demonstrating how I make what I call a ‘split bowl’ through an internet feed called Periscope and in person at The Muse in Frederick, Md. in honor of National Craft Month. I use the split bowl technique as a base for many of my finished pieces. They are fun to make and a great shape to demonstrate.

Click on the Periscope logo above to check out this resource and download the App for yourself! Periscope provides live broadcast streaming and additional viewing for a 24 hour period. Viewers can interact by texting in to the show while it's live. Its a great way to showcase skills and interact with an audience near and far.  I will air my first broadcast this Wednesday at 10 am EST. You'll be able to watch how I create a split bowl, ask questions and see my studio.

For those of you living nearby, I'll be at The Muse in downtown Frederick, Md. on Saturday showing the same split bowl process. I'd love to have you stop by, say hello and watch as I create. The Muse will showcase a variety of artists demonstrating their process throughout March in honor of National Craft Month.

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