Reflecting back on the first month of my apprenticeship at Driving Creek is like standing in the forest. It’s hard not to feel in awe of the dense ecosystem, conscious of how the intricacies of each part feed into an immense whole.

Already, I’ve watched and helped with so many aspects of the ceramic process, learning about processing clay for throwing; making up glazes and starting to understand how each reacts so differently, both in application and in the firing; loading both wood fired and gas kilns; throwing cylinders on the wheel and trying to get them to meet set measurements. I’ve got a whole new kete of terms which I’m adding to each day, as I learn to wad pots before they are placed in the kiln; to add quantities of grog to clay from our land to give its body strength; to grapple with which materials operate as fluxes in a glaze. 

The pace of production and the agility required to meet it and all the various hiccups that can occur along the way, has very quickly challenged the romantic notions attached to this mahi—although at the same time my appreciation for the care and attention given to each pot has grown. I feel fiercely inspired by how retaliatory this craft is to the consumerist culture we are surrounded by. 

In my second week I was excited to help out with Matilda’s wood firing, which was a quick submersion into the necessary resilience and fortitude required by this work. I’m steadily getting an insight into how important community is, not just in terms of hands-on support when it comes to things like firing, but also in regards to support accessing resources. With the local saw mill in Colville now closed down, it is a pressing concern for potters at DCR as to how they will source reliable wood for firing. Matilda was able to get some pine from the local Lions group, and along with a mix of kanuka, pin oak and pallets, we managed to eventually get the kiln to temperature, but it was interesting for me to see how, a week later at another wood-firing, the drier, bigger pieces of pine that were used for that got the kiln to temperature some 4 or 5 hours earlier than our firing. 

It’s been a busy blur of a month. What feels most important to reflect on is the role of this apprenticeship and how important it feels to be supported as a young craftsperson. The investment DCR is making in me as a potter feels generative and sustainable, allowing me the time and ability to dive deep into this work. I’m privileged to be in such a knowledge-rich environment where the production of high quality work is valued, of course, but just as much as the traditions, the community, and the stories that wrap around clay, as a material and as a culture.