a potter pulling up walls on a piece of clay — **What’s something you’ve always wanted to try but never did—just because the stars (or your schedule) never aligned?**

For me, that elusive dream was pottery. There’s just something magical about watching someone turn a humble lump of mud into a stunning piece of art. If you’ve ever been captivated by that slow spin of the wheel and the hypnotic shaping of clay, then buckle up, friend—this post is for you.

Let’s talk about how I finally got my hands dirty. Literally.

Pottery tools can be wildly expensive—not to mention slightly terrifying (hello, thousand-degree kiln of doom). So unless you’ve got a backyard studio and a fireproof insurance policy, I highly recommend starting with a class. A few years ago, I was just trying to find something to fill my Monday nights that wasn’t doom-scrolling or binging the latest Netflix series. That’s when I stumbled across my county’s adult learning catalog, and it was like opening a treasure chest of “wait, I can actually do that?” classes.

I signed up for pottery—and the rest is muddy, wobbly, beautiful history.

Pro tip: Find out when registration opens. I later learned I got absurdly lucky snagging a spot. A sweet old lady across the table nearly dropped her rib tool when I told her I had just randomly signed up. She’d been waiting by her computer at midnight, Hunger Games-style, to get in. I like to think the pottery gods gave me a nudge that night, and the rest is history.

The class itself was a dream. It was affordable, taught by a local expert, and covered the basics: centering, opening, pulling. Spoiler alert: it’s way harder than it looks. But I was hooked. There’s something deeply calming about feeling the clay move beneath your hands—plus, it's a great (and socially acceptable) way to aggressively center something that isn’t your existential dread.

My first pots? Wobbly disasters. But the joy? Unmatched. I found out our community center offers open wheel time twice a week—$20 for three hours, including glazes and firing? Sign. Me. Up. I bought a 25lb bag of clay and got to work.

Now, two years later, I’m still at it. Still learning. Still covered in clay half the time. I turn to YouTube and Pinterest for inspiration and tips, and I’ve grown so much from just watching what other potters do. There’s that intentional screen time!

Wanna try? Here are my starter tips:

Check local adult ed classes. They’re often cheaper than private studios, and full of fellow creative weirdos just like you.
Find open studios. Libraries and community centers are gold mines.
Watch the pros. YouTube is a rabbit hole of knowledge. Dive in.
Embrace the mess. Pottery is a gloriously muddy mix of chaos and calm. Embrace your inner child, and let yourself play.

So go ahead. Make some mud pies. Throw some pots. And maybe, just maybe, find your new favorite way to spend a Monday night.

Below are some of my favorite pottery products from Amazon!

*This post contains affiliate links so we may receive compensation if you purchase products linked to below. As an Amazon Associate, I can earn from qualifying purchases.