My start in pottery

How Pottery Helped Me Find Calm and Creativity When Life Got Crazy

If you’d told me at the start of 2020 that my life would flip upside down in the best and hardest ways, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. Like so many, when COVID hit, I was sent home from work. Suddenly, my whole routine vanished, replaced by the chaos of working from home with a two-year-old and a five-year-old running the show.

For six months, my husband and I juggled everything. Both of us were lucky to still have jobs, but that meant taking turns chasing kids, managing their online lessons, and somehow keeping the household from turning into total chaos. I worked mornings, then dove back into work after bedtime, when the house finally got quiet. Exhausting? Absolutely. Overwhelming? More than I’d ever imagined.

And then, the dreaded word: redundancy. I was out of work.

My husband told me to take a break. To breathe. To find something just for me.

I started looking up pottery classes — a little something creative to try, maybe get my hands dirty and my mind off everything. That’s when a friend invited me to join her beginner class at the Clay Centre.

Walking into that studio felt like coming home. Clay felt amazing beneath my fingers — soft, cool, and full of possibility. My first creations were far from perfect: four misshapen bowls and one very wonky mug. But I was so proud. I was excited. I had found something that made me smile again.

My first few pieces! I lost the mug…

I joined the studio membership, and pottery quickly became my new rhythm. Each piece I made was a little victory, a way to create calm from chaos. It reminded me that even when life throws you curveballs, you can find something to hold onto — something that helps you grow, one imperfect bowl at a time.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just looking for a fresh start, maybe pottery—or any new creative adventure—is worth a try. It might just surprise you.