What is your personal "studio routine" that happens before you start creating? | Q.O.W 1/2/2013

[Guest JBaymore]

So........ baseball players and other such sports figures seem to often have little "routines" that they just HAVE to do before they take the field for the game. Movies tend to show us that fighter pilots often have objects that are felt to be crucial to the success of the coming mission.

 

So you head toward the studio..... and..........

 

 

 

What is your personal "studio routine" that happens before you start creating?

 

 

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[Nelly]

So........ baseball players and other such sports figures seem to often have little "routines" that they just HAVE to do before they take the field for the game. Movies tend to show us that fighter pilots often have objects that are felt to be crucial to the success of the coming mission.

 

So you head toward the studio..... and..........

 

 

 

What is your personal "studio routine" that happens before you start creating?

 

Given that I am awake, I will start the ball rolling.

 

I trek through the back of my house to the studio in my garage.

First thing I do is check the temperature to see that it is nice and warm.

I then visit projects I am working on and see that they are drying correctly.

Somewhere in this time I turn the radio on to CBC FM.

I usually have some reclaim/recycle on the go so I try my best to wedge this into new clay.

I then prepare my tools and wheel. Given that the wheel is usually clean, all I have to do is get everything ready to go.

 

Now here is my downfall. Nine out of ten times, I sit down at the wheel without planning. I have no idea where the clay will take me that day (i.e., bowls, mugs, cylinder forms etc.). I just finished a goblet series. This forced me to focus on size, shape, and attempts at exact replication. I did know where I was going each day at the wheel. It was an interesting exercise in commitment.

 

But I think, in reality, what I love about the creative process is the unknown. This includes all stages of the process.

 

There is however, a very specific stage the day/night before where I ponder what I will do with works in progress. I spend time thinking or visualing how I can decorate or finish a form to make it look its best. Thus, I would say for me, half of my work is in visualization or daydreaming what I will do with the pieces I have thrown or about to make.

 

In general, there is no cup of tea or coffee at my table side. I like my throwing water to be warm. I like my tools in some sort of order (i.e., in front of me). I do like the studio fairly neat before starting. But this clean-up part is usually part of my end of the day when I work--not the beginning.

 

I am afraid I have nothing spectaculer to report on my process.

 

Nelly

 

Check out joining the Potters Council ( www.potterscouncil.org ) for more networking possibilities, peer mentoring opportunities, discounts on books, magazines, and DVDs, health insurance, credit card merchant programs, and many other member benefits.