Looking at the ceramic mug I made at the Johnson Museum it’s amazing to think that this was once just dirt. Clay really is just dirt that is turned into a paste. The most simple component of nature can be turned into art.
Dirt can be seen as useless and valueless. But if you think about it, dirt offers us life and beauty. Not only has dirt allowed for trees, flowers, and grass to grow but it’s allowed me to make this mug.
The simplest components of life can be turned into joy. In our society we equate our happiness based off of having the most up to date technology, so we can watch Netflix and YouTube. Those medias have allowed others to create, but we don’t really take it amongst ourselves to create. I found my time at the Johnson Museum so much fun! There’s just something about turning nothing into something.
I’ve never really done sculpting before, but I felt like I was a natural at it. With the moist clay in my hands I got to use my imagination. There’s sort of a child like wonder involved with art since you’re using so much of your imagination. I personally wasn’t worried about it not looking good. I sort of just let my hands and imagination do the work.
I think everyone is artistic. People like to joke that they’re awful at art, but I feel that if you silence your mind and just dive in you’ll find that you are good at it.
In fact, I believe humans are meant to create. Creating allows me to let go of anything that is on my mind and silence it. I can convey happiness, sorrow, love, despair, and victory through art. It has the ability to be therapeutic, to turn a negative into something positive in the world.
Whenever I go to museums and see really old pieces of art I wonder if the person who made the masterpiece ever imagined that hundreds and even perhaps thousands of years later someone would still be marveling at their art work. Was it on their mind? Or were they just living their life unconcerned with what others would think? Their art is their mark on the world. It’s their legacy that proves that they walked this Earth and impacted the lives of others. I look at my mug now and wonder if someone in the future would look at it and feel happiness.
I really like your title and it was interesting to see that you connected clay with nature. I personally only thought of it as a relaxing activity but I can see that how this natural material can turn into beautiful artwork. I liked how you connected different emotions with the artwork
I agree with you when you say that art can turn something negative into something positive. The artwork itself is a manifestation of that transformation. In my opinion, I also see art as a conduit to connect people through emotions, experiences, and perspectives. In that way, art is unquestionably a positive influence on society. Also, I hope your mug will make someone happy someday too.
It’s really interesting that I shared some similar thoughts with you–I read your blog after I wrote mine and found something in common. But your thinking upon the wonders that dirt can make is so pleasant to read. I also browsed your other blogs and found they are generally the unique ones that I have read in the past. Will keep following your great posts.