“Ramblings from Rita”

Is it just that time of year, or is it just me. It seems like as soon as winter hits and the end of the year is imminent I lose all my momentum. I start to question why am I torturing myself with pottery and shows. I question my motives, should I just go back to the days of gifting my pottery to friends and family? And today I felt compelled to inventory my pots. After unloading all my boxes of pottery onto tables I looked across the room at the tables filled with stoneware and I caught a glimpse of all the colors melting into to one and for just a moment everything looked so foreign. I thought when did my colors get so dark? I pictured for a moment white pots with red apples and little geometric designs and smiled thinking of all those sweet apple pots I made, how long ago was that? I try for a moment to re-focus on the kind and generous comments from my customers about how they have never seen pottery so beautiful, but the thought eludes my grasp. I want desperately to grab hold and feel that appreciative kindness but instead I just feel crummy and out of sorts and my good thoughts fall hard on a blank slate that feels like a black hole. Then, I remember the dream I had last night and really; it was “a bit of a nightmare”. I was trudging through the snow in the Jemez mountains, I couldn’t find my car and I was desperately trying to get to my pottery tables, I had dutifully paid my fee to the Indian tribe to exhibit and I needed to get to my tables to sell before the day was over. I kept walking back and forth, through a maze of adobe buildings in one door and out another, finally I find my space, it’s around a corner out of sight from the main traffic, I think why am I here, how will I ever make any sales in this awful place. I see all my pots are thrown into boxes, and I am missing most of my inventory. I am feeling horrid and I still don’t know where my car is! I dig to the bottom of a box and there is a very generous check with a detailed listing of all the pottery purchased and a “thank you” note from the tribal chief himself telling me how much he loves my pottery and asking me if I will come back next year. I smile, and think, surely I will. In the mean time, I do believe a nice long break is in order! I wish you all a very “Merry Christmas Season” And Happy Potting for the New Year!
Rita S. Ryan
Clay Artist and crazy person!