26 Feb Staff Ramblings: Catherine Rommel
Hi, I’m Catherine. I’m a receptionist at the Arts Council and I’ve been taking ceramics classes here on and off since Summer 2024. Ceramics, especially wheel throwing as that’s what I do the most, is definitely a journey. I’m still learning to perfect my throwing technique so I can get more consistent results, and every teacher has their own way of teaching wheel throwing.
My goals when I initially came into ceramics in 2024 was to make a mug I could actually drink a full 12oz cup of coffee in, and a bowl I could eat a pack of ramen in. Well, I made that mug…last semester (I’m holding it in the picture above). And the ramen bowl I STILL haven’t made. When you make ceramics, you have to make sure the bottom is not too thin or too wet or else it’ll crack. That’s been a struggle of mine, to not make the bottoms too thin. Every bowl that has gotten close to being the bowl has ultimately cracked or shrunk so much it’s like a little snack bowl. I have so many pieces in my cabinets (I need to declutter some) that are cracked, too small, or not the most visually appealing.
But I don’t think you come into ceramics class wanting to make perfect pieces. Wheel throwing is fun, at least for me. Creating anything makes you proud, and learning each class, getting a little better each time, is rewarding. Most people in my class just start throwing a pound or two on the wheel with no real goal, just going with the flow. It’s the process of ceramics that makes people come back to it. And if you get frustrated with wheel throwing for more than a day, take a break. There’s so much you can make with hand-building. You have to find what works for you. But I say, don’t completely give up on the wheel. It can be hard and frustrating at times, but you will get better at it.
Also, I think we as artists get stuck in our heads sometimes about our work and not being good enough. I’m here to tell you that if you’re stuck in your head about ceramics: take a deep breath and not overthink it. I mean, in the simplest of terms, ceramics is just the adult, more creative, version of playing in mud. If something comes out just awful, don’t worry about it. Laugh it off and move on. I think because my ceramics class is full of such kind and friendly people that I don’t worry about looking stupid. They’re so positive, and that reflects in my own views of my own work.
I’m trying to have that attitude in my music making process. I produce music, write music, and sing, and for a good bit after college I got so stuck in my head about not being good enough. I would get so stuck in my head, overthinking everything, analyzing everything, not being able to do anything with music. When I started working here, I wanted to do ceramics. But, it wasn’t life or death if something came out bad. I came into the class with no expectations really, and my classmates, as I said before, never gave me any negative or judgmental energy. The care-free nature of creating in my ceramics class is an energy that has slowly crept into my music making. Yes, making and promoting a song is more work and can be more daunting, especially if it’s your first time releasing something. But I breath and take everything one step at a time; literally stopping my brain from thinking too many steps ahead.
Art can be super impactful and a way to express yourself, but you shouldn’t be striving for perfection. A super important aspect of art is not losing your momentum, your joy in creating, even if the product comes out like hot garbage. Even if you go at a snail’s pace, it’s important to keep going. Also, art is subjective, so it might look bad to you, but to someone else they see beauty in it. So don’t be so hard on yourself, take it one step at a time, and be present in the moment so you have fun.
