A "Professional" Potter

You might remember that I had the very good fortune of finding a beautiful pottery studio during my first week in Berlin.  Then the owner, Cordula, gave me the incredible opportunity to run her shop while she was on vacation with her family.  If you forget that story, you can always read it again.  It's basically one of the best things that happened to me in Berlin.  And the great news is, my pottery story has continued to get better and better!

At this time, I would really like to formally introduce you to Cordula... well, as formally as one can introduce another person via blog post.  

Here she is, standing in front of her beautiful pottery!  Cordula has owned Feuer Zeug Keramik for about 13 years and opened the shop after finishing her degree in ceramics.  I don't know if this is actually true, but from my perspective, she is a bit of an institution when it comes to pottery in Berlin.  She has taught countless pottery classes to people all over the city and she provides a firing service, meaning she will bake other people's raw pots in her kiln.  A month ago, I went to an art exhibit featuring sculptures by a local artist that Cordula had fired!  

Outside of her pottery life, Cordula has a lovely family and a very sweet one-and-a-half-year-old that keeps her on her toes.  Which brings me to my next point...

Running a pottery business and raising a child can occasionally conflict with one another.  The waiting list for Cordula's classes had been building up, so one day, I took a leap and mentioned that although I had never taught a class before, I would be very interested in trying if it might help her.  Admittedly, I have never studied ceramics the way Cordula did in a university, but I do have 5-6 years of experience under my belt, I have had 3 terrific teachers (Erica, Tom, and Audry), and I have quality educators in my family tree.  I can't think of a better way to share my love for pottery than teaching it to other people, and I had confidence that I would be able to explain the process to a group of beginners.  

Cordula took me up on the offer.  

Two weeks later, I was opening the graffitied shutters to Cordula's brother's wine shop.  

The teaching studio is in the room behind the wine shop.  Just past that white door is a magical world of clay!

In the studio, there are five wheels where I taught my very first class of five students for 2 hours every Wednesday at 11am.  

It was quite an international group.  We had representation from Germany (obviously), Switzerland, Spain, the US (that was me), and Austrailia!  I taught in English which worked well most of the time.  Every now and again I'd say a less common word and get some confused looks.  "Spin the wheel" was a minor issue... I guess spin isn't at the top of the English vocab list.  But generally I'd say it went pretty smoothly!  

My students were lovely people and very eager to learn pottery.  I made sure to arrive at least 30 minutes early so I could get set up because a few of them would be waiting at the door by a quarter of eleven, anxious to dive into the clay.  

I started each class with a demonstration of how to throw a bowl or a cup using the wheel while providing verbal instructions so my students could absorb the techniques visually and auditorially before trying it out themselves.  Cordula was in the studio during my first class and listened in on my instructions as she unloaded the kiln.  

The next time I saw her she gave me one of the best compliments I may have ever received.  

She casually asked, "Do you know who Bob Ross is?"  

YES!  I LOVE Bob Ross.  If you've never watched his show, "The Joy Of Painting," you just gotta do it.  Particularly if you are feeling stressed in any way, or maybe a bit overwhelmed and you just want to bliss out for thirty minutes (I mean that in a drug-free way) while feeling truly empowered a the same time.  Bob Ross has a magical way of making everyone feel like they too can be the most incredible artist as well as the happiest person on the face of the Earth.  He's simply mesmerizing.  

I'm not sure which components of my pottery instructions were Bob Ross-like, but I don't think it was my hairstyle that caused her to draw the comparison.  

Student pottery before glaze

Although my students each learned that pottery is much harder than it looks, in the end, all five were able to take home at least 3 pieces that I think they deserve to feel proud of!  I certainly was proud of each of them. 

I was glad to be the one to unload the kiln to reveal their finished products.  

Vases, bowls, and cups came out in a rich assortment of colors.  I might be a bit biased, but compared to other new students, I think my class's pieces were among the best!  Not bad for first-time potters!

Meanwhile, I've continued to work on my own projects in the shop.  Cordula lets me open the store and work on the wheel during the days that she is home with her little son.  Even though I have several years of pottery behind me, I still feel like my work gets a little bit better with each piece that I make.  The walls of the mug get a little thinner, the handle becomes better proportioned, the whole thing is a bit larger so you can have an adult-sized cup of coffee rather than a shot of espresso. 

I like making cuvier mugs with a big bottom and a skinny neck toward top like the collection in the picture above.  I think it helps your beverage stay hotter a little bit longer since there is less surface area exposed to the cool air.  

I've been working on teapots too.  They are a bit trickier and definitely a time-consuming process.  There is a reason why handmade teapots cost upwards of $75.  Attaching a spout is no joke!  

I'm quite pleased with my unglazed collection!

My mugs work well too!  They are the perfect size for a latte macchiato just the way I like it: 

2 ounces of espresso

a solid cup of foamed milk

 and a generous portion of cinnamon and sugar!

Helping Cordula in her shop and working on my projects has lead to an incredibly fulfilling existence in Berlin.  It's a rare and special opportunity when a person is able to create an entirely new identity for themselves.  I don't mean that I have become a different person.  Of course I am the same "me" that I've always been, but I realized that a huge part of our identity, at least in the US, is defined by our occupation.  I've always been very proud of my job as an Occupational Therapist, but I wasn't going to be able to do that during our time in Germany.   That lead me to the existential questions of, "Why am I here?  What is my purpose?"  Well, here my time and energy that isn't going to my wonderful fiancé has been fully directed at my art. 

Toward the end of pottery class one day, my student Chris asked me, "So are you like, a professional potter?" 

I had to think about it for a second.  My instinctual response was to laugh and think "No, I'm an OT!"  I've spent over a decade either in OT school or actually working as a therapist, so the idea of being something other than that hadn't ever even crossed my mind.  But as I considered Chris's question, I realized that I was spending a significant portion of my week covered in clay and now that I was teaching, my only source of income (besides Fritz) was through pottery.  I don't know what it takes to be classified as a "professional potter."  Perhaps I need to sell some of my stuff instead of giving it all away.  Perhaps I need to teach a few more classes to be a true professional.  Or perhaps it's as simple as feeling it as a significant part of my identity.  

The truth is, I absolutely LOVE making pottery.  There are few things that cause me to feel more relaxed (lying on the beach in the summer sun might take the cake but I don't think "professional beach bum" counts as an occupation) and simultaneously accomplished than making a piece of art that is fully functional.  And isn't that what pottery is?  Functional art.  It's perfect!  Being able to share this love with my five students as they learned the magic of transforming a messy blob of clay into something they can use and feel proud of brought my enjoyment of the craft to a brand new level.  

Cordula could not have known the impact of her decision to entrust Feuer Zeug Keramic to an American stranger when I showed up on her doorstep the last week of January.  But for some reason, she decided to trust me.  She decided to give me an opportunity.  And in so doing, she gave my life in Berlin purpose and meaning.  Life in Frankfurt was wonderful: reading, exploring, taking pictures, blogging...  But Berlin is different.  Here, I have a schedule.  I have a place to go, a responsibility.  I wake up each morning thinking about what I'm going to make!  I have work to do.  

Here, I am a professional potter!

An Austrian in Germany

Irma!!!  My dear friend Irma hopped the border from Austria to Germany and spent 4 days with us in Berlin.  

During her visit we went all over the place, but we were two goofs and neither of us took any pictures!  The lens of Irma's camera actually broke the first day and I was just too busy chatting and showing Berlin to my friend, that I never stopped us to take photos.  

Even though there isn't much evidence to prove it, we did have a terrific time and I was so happy to share Berlin with this lady.  We did a lot of walking around the city, we went for a few runs, saw the Berlin Wall, and cooked delicious food!  Irma is always the best at cooking the good foods.  I learn a new recipe every time I see her.  

We also spent two afternoons in the pottery shop and Irma got to make her very first pieces of pottery!  Here is a video of her making a tiny espresso mug. 

Thank you for coming and spending the week with me Irma!  It was awesome!

A Brother Comes to Town

Arrived!  My brother, Jarrod, is here!  He will be staying for a full week and will be joined by my sister and brother-in-law in a few days.  Since he got in a little early, we were able to hit some of the fun Berlin spots that Becca and Chris won't have time to see.  Mostly we just did a lot of walking around and picture taking as well as a pottery lesson for Jarrod!

Shady reflection picture. 

Jarrod brought his fancy camera and took a ton of awesome, artsy photos.  I just took pictures of him taking pictures. It's all so meta. 

We visited an outdoor market in the middle of the city and Jarrod got to try his first German bratwurst with a weißbier (wheat beer) from the tap. 

Then he ate another sausage, because, I mean, why not?  When in Germany, one must eat sausage! 

I think he actually has a headache here from being out in the sun too long, but it made for a cool picture. 

We had a beautiful walk through Victoria Park which is just a few blocks from our house. 

The monument on top of the hill made a striking silhouette against the clear blue sky. 

Victoria Park has a cascading waterfall flowing right through the middle of it. 

We took my favorite route to the pottery studio strolling from Schöneberg to Kreuzberg.  There is a pretty church around the halfway point. 

I thought this bridge crossing was worthy of a photo. 

One of the most well-known murals in Berlin is a few blocks from the pottery shop.  I have often seen tour groups standing beneath this astronaut, though I'm not sure of its significance other than that it looks really cool. 

Kreuzberg is one of the "grungier" parts of Berlin as I mentioned in a previous post.  Here, fliers are posted on top of fliers which are posted on top of fliers until one day, someone decides the light post, which was used as the base for these fliers, has gotten a bit too thick.  Then, like an onion, the layers are peeled away, revealing postings from the past in a colorful display of all the things someone once thought were important. 

I didn't take any photos of Jarrod's first pottery pieces, but I do have a short video of his first try at throwing.  (Just so you know, "throwing" is the term used when making pieces of pottery on a wheel.)  He was having some difficulty centering the clay in this particular video, but he ended up with 2 beautiful bowls!  A very successful start to his pottery career.

New Potter In Town-- And It's Me!

Well.  It's one kind of coincidence when you find a pottery studio and a yoga studio at the exact same address.  

It's another thing entirely when the owner of the pottery studio meets you, then tells you she is going on vacation for a month and is wondering if you'd be willing to look after her shop while she is gone.  

Yes. For the month of February, I helped run Feuer Zeug Keramik.  Now you understand why I haven't been able to post as frequently.  Sorry about that!  Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays I have been maintaining the shop and doing my own work on the wheel.  

I'll give you a little background on the whole process.  

First, let me tell you a little bit about the area around the pottery shop.  The shop is located between two very hip boroughs of Berlin: Kreuzberg and Neukölln.  If you look up these neighborhoods on The Google, you'll find expressions like "the center of all things hip," "home to Berlin's punk rock movement as well as other alternative subcultures in Germany," "famous for its alternative lifestyle and its squatters," "graffiti-stained shutters," "highest percentage of immigrants," "influx of students, creatives and young professionals," "social hot spot," et cetera, et cetera.  

Before arriving in Berlin, I'd heard it described as a "grungy" city, to which I was like "Yeah ok, what is that supposed to mean?"  Grungy did not sound like a very nice way to talk about a place.  I wouldn't be flattered if someone said I lived in a grungy apartment.   It sounded derogatory out of context, but the way it was being used about Berlin made it sound sort of cool or edgy in a good way.  I'm still not exactly sure what it means, but when I walk around Kreuzberg and Neukölln, I understand why the term is applied.  One of the most observable characteristics of these boroughs is the graffiti that is literally EVERYWHERE.   There are also posters and fliers plastered on every available surface.  And if there wasn't a free surface, the fliers were just layered one on top of the other.  

There are fantastic murals (some also on the "grungy" side) all over the place.  

This one is 2 blocks from the pottery shop and I feel like it captures the spirit of the area.  "Love Art Hate Cops" is written across the top.  You can see it from the U-Bahn stop where I get off.  And speaking of that U-Bahn stop- I used to feel kind of nervous walking down from the train platform because there are always guys (between 18 and 25 years old) standing in groups on the steps and down on the ground level under the tracks.  I couldn't figure out what they were doing there since they never seem to ride the train and they don't leave the train stop.  I thought maybe they were waiting for vulnerable commuters that they could attack and steal a wallet or two, so I was always very careful to walk up and down the stairs while there were lots of other people around me.  To my relief, I found out I was in no danger of being jumped.  These guys are merely selling marijuana and it seems interested customers know to meet them at this particular train platform.  Lovely.  

If I want to avoid the drug dealers completely, I can walk from our house, which, in addition to getting some exercise, allows me to discover some merry Berlin-isms...

... like this bike full of daffodils... 

... or this intricate and colorful pole warmer. 

In preparation for my month in the pottery shop, I needed to acquire the correct supplies.  Although Cordula (the owner of the pottery shop) said I was allowed to use her clay for my pottery projects, I did not want to take advantage of her generosity in letting me use her potter's wheel and space while she was gone... plus, I had some pretty big projects in mind.  

Time for a grand expedition to Carl Jäger, a pottery supply store in the southeast.  Cordula provided me with their address so the day before starting at Feuer Zeug Keramik, I threw an empty satchel over my shoulder and started out to by some clay and glaze.  

The trip requires 2 train transfers and a tram (or streetcar) taking almost an hour to get from door to door.  The transfers were in parts of the city I had not yet experienced and I was reminded just how big and dynamic Berlin really is.  

After taking the second train, I decided to skip the tram and walk the last leg of the journey to Carl Jäger.  

I was now in the former Communist part of the city, which also was quite residential.  Although there were fewer murals when compared to Kreuzberg, I still managed to find a few.  

I walked along backroads that bordered parks and bike paths.  

I discovered uniform efficient-looking German apartments.  The combination of the architecture and the cars made me feel like I was on the set of "Good Bye Lenin!" the famous German film about the end of communism in the late 80s. 

Since you're obviously wondering what I looked like on my way to the pottery supply store, here's a picture of me sitting along the sidewalk with my empty, green, poke-a-dot satchel.  

After walking for 45 minutes, I arrived at Carl Jäger only to discover it was closed.  Apparently they have a mid-day break from 12-3pm.  Good thing I brought my book!

The surrounding neighborhood was quite residential but I did find a cozy cafe... 

...which serves latte macchiatos and waffles!  I've been trying to minimize my intake of glutenous foods so I haven't been eating many waffles, but I think it's worth noting that German waffles are delicious and readily available all over the place at almost any time of the day.  They are often served with powdered sugar like my little snack pictured above.  

I killed an hour or so in this little cafe, munching and reading until Carl Jäger reopened.  

As you can see, it doesn't really look like much of a shop.  And that is probably because it really isn't a shop.  If you walk in the side door, you enter a small room with a counter.  There are a few samples of glazed tiles hanging on the wall along with some tools that potters can purchase, but it really isn't a place to browse.  You need to know what you want ahead of time so you can place your order at the counter.  

I had come prepared since Cordula had given me the Carl Jäger catalog.  I wanted two varieties of clay and a blue glaze that I picked out by looking at the sample tiles on the wall.  Using a mix of English, sign language, and bad German I was able to place my order with the shop owner's son, a burly man with pierced ears and a long beard.  He turned out to be quite a sweetheart despite his gruff appearance.  

Considering how long it took me to get out to this shop, I decided to place a bulk order so I wouldn't have to go back and forth to this place every other week, but carrying 100 kilos of clay home on a tram and 2 trains would have been totally impossible.  Lucky for me, Carl Jäger delivers!  So I gave my new bearded friend my home address and set a date for the delivery.  I took one 10-kilo bag of clay in my satchel so I'd have something to work with at the shop over the weekend (for my fellow Americans who have no sense of the metric system, 10 kilos converts to roughly 22 pounds) and set off for home.  

I passed this random configuration of mushroom stools on the way back to my house. 

A few days later, my clay arrived!  Perfect timing too!  Fritz hadn't left for the archives yet so I had help carrying almost 200 pounds of clay up to our 4th floor apartment.  We selected a remote corner of the living room for it to hide and I've been transporting it to the pottery shop as needed, one bag at a time.  

Having successfully acquired all the neccessary materials, it was pottery time!!  I had planned ahead and brought my rubber pottery boots to Germany.  They aren't exactly high fashion, but what can I say, sometimes an artist must place a higher value on function and leave fashion at home.

Feuer Zeug Keramik is a small shop divided between a display of finished pottery for sale and a working pottery studio with two potter's wheels. The picture above shows some of Cordula's pieces. 

The two wheels are hiding behind the white shelf in the foreground.  The shelves on the side wall are loaded with unfinished pieces.  

I got right to work making a few mugs.  They haven't been glazed yet, but I'm quite happy with how they turned out.  It's been a least 6 months since I've done any throwing (that's the term potters use when they are making pieces on a wheel), but it wasn't too tricky to get back into the swing of things. 

I can't tell you how good it feels to be back in a pottery studio.  I still have to pinch myself whenever I think about how this all came together.  It blows my mind!  I've been quite busy producing surprises for our wedding in August, which means photos of my finished products will be limited, but if anyone has any special orders, let me know!  I'll make anything that can be shipped (so no giant vases please).  

Peace, Love and Pottery!