Moved studio!!

 Finally I moved my studio from one spot in Auroville to the ceramic zone in Auroville. Phew!!

Reason to move... well, the place I was at is the border or Auroville. Completely unloved and just very abandoned. Thats my view. Next to me was a largish construction company. I felt quite isloated and unsupported in the ceramic way. In the sense that ceramic that I do is from stratch. Making clay, glazes, making work, loading, firing, unloading and then selling. Too too much for me to do alone. I know this is studio pottery but I had to keep running to Michel at Dana to buy raw material, to test material and glazes. For any small help I had no one around. Very frustrating and isolated.

Now, Dane, the pottery hub in auroville has Michel, Flame pottery, Mandala pottery and Priya Sundervalli . Two big production potteries and now two studio potters. I hope to be able to generate enough business to employ a full time worker. As of now I am still doing everything by myself but atleast I share a cup of tea with a fellow potter. Also Dana is an old warm community in Auroville. People, dogs and cats passby- very nice. Ok, dogs come for cookies and sometimes to just say hello. Makes all the difference. Maybe its the reassurance that I can reach out for help and its at arms lenght. In this profession where every stage is challenging this assurance is needed. Its here and I am grateful for it.

Now for the ceramic part. Everthing is so entwined - our working holds our emotions, our physical being and the environment. I was offered a tiny shed space by Michel which I extended a bit more. So I have enough working space. I also have a small storage space. However this space is a shed and fully open. Since this is such a green space , all kinds of bugs, insects have been around for a long time. A five mintues shower results next days in plentitude of mosquitoes. The cat just walks over thrown pots to get to her "spot". The wind causes freshly marbled plated to collapse and break. All the perks of open space!!

It has been 4 months and one firing down. I am to figure out how best to function in this space.Need to find ways to sell work. A lot of figuring out , as usual. Doesnt sound very positive yet I am compelled to do what I do and thats that. A day goes from happy to arrive to be bitten, eaten up, enjoy working, frustrated by any aspect of claywork, going home completely finished , to a bit of easing up. The next day brings all these and more all over again.