72. Dealing with disappointment in pottery: 3 new ways of thinking to support you and your pottery-making

Oxford Clay Podcast

Episode 72. Dealing with disappointment in pottery: 3 new ways of thinking to support you and your pottery-making

Disappointment in pottery can happen when the pot in your mind's eye isn’t the same as the one that comes out of the kiln! That sinking feeling of disappointment can really hold us back as potters and can affect even the most experienced of Potters.

In this episode, I talk about three mindset shifts that I use to deal with my own feelings of disappointment in pottery;

  1. That disappointment is a natural part of the creative process.

  2. That disappointment is a natural part of pottery-making so much out of our control as potters (especially what happens inside a kiln firing!).

  3. That experiencing failure and disappointment in pottery means that you are at the growth edge of your skills and experience.

I hope this episode inspires you not to be discouraged if feelings of disappointment ever come up in your pottery-making.

The book featured in this episode is ‘A Potters Book’ by Bernard Leach, 1976 edition published by Faber and Faber.


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Katherine Tomlinson

A Potter for over 25 years, Katherine is passionate about eco-conscious pottery materials and practices. She has created books and courses to help other Potters find the information they need. Listen to the Oxford Clay podcast for more pottery tips. You can contact Katherine here.

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