We stopped making things with our hands
Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, most of us stop making anything with our hands. We consume constantly (shows, feeds, messages) but rarely sit down and shape something ourselves for no reason other than wanting to.
When people come to my workshops, they're rarely chasing a new skill. Almost always, what they actually want is a few hours away from everything else, something to do with their hands instead of their phone.
The strange thing clay does to time
Ceramics, in particular, does something unusual to time. An hour can feel like ten minutes because you're completely absorbed, and at the same time, it can feel like the outside world slowed down while you were in there with the clay.
It's a genuine flow state, and I don't think you need to be an artist to find it. You just need to give yourself permission to sit down and try.
Permission to disconnect
If you're waiting for a good enough reason to take three hours for yourself, this is me telling you that "I want to relax and make something" is reason enough. You don't need to be good at it. You don't need to keep doing it afterward if it's not for you. You just need to show up.
If you'd like to try, just email me at art@filipacabecinha.com and I'll send you the dates and details about my upcoming ceramic and painting workshops!