The start of a new year provides an automatic reset for so many aspects of our lives. For me, it signals the end of the winter holiday season, an opportunity to examine past goals and a reflective opportunity to let go and start fresh. It’s invigorating.
I've added daily walks to my routine (again). Fresh air, time to let the mind wander and a little exercise are good reasons to re-establish this habit. Yesterday's walk in nature included cold blue skies, a tree-lined trail and an unexpected dip in the C & O Canal by my golden retriever Carson!
In the studio, it’s a good time to clean. I tend to make a mess when I create. After a flurry of making, it’s easy to identify the favorite tools most used – they are piled up on my worktable. Just as some people work to rid their clothes closets of clutter and unworn attire, I like to purge my vast tool purchases to identify the most used and useful.
I constantly rearrange my creative space to make it more efficient and enjoyable. The clay process requires lots of lifting and moving clay supplies and clay objects back and forth between locations including:
*making-glazing-firing process
*photographing and documenting clay creations
*packing/unpacking for delivery to customers, galleries or shows and storage
Re-organizing my work space is an ongoing exercise to streamline all clay studio procedures!
I plan to focus on the photography of ClayByLaura creations in 2016. Photography is a key tool for communication – especially in the internet world of websites and Instagram. In 2016, I intend to improve this important visual aspect of my art to reflect the same effort I employ when creating a clay piece.
The empty shelves in my studio won't last long. I'm looking forward to getting my hands muddy once again and seeing where the creative juices lead me. Thank you for accompanying me on this journey. I like the back and forth communication you provide as well. Onward! Here's to moving forward in 2016.