Akatsuchi Pottery
Ojika Island
Written by Lara - Instagram: @possumspossy
I have been fortunate enough to experience many things in my time on Ojika Island. One of the best would have to be the Akatsuchi pottery experience. The opportunity to make something personal on your travels really brings deeper meaning to the word souvenir.
When we arrived, the tables were already set up with a piece of clay, a small turn table, some tools and a wooden board. We began by working the clay until it was soft, making it into a cone shape and cutting it into two separate pieces.
I love, love, love making things, but, I'm also a bit of a perfectionist. While in some ways this can be a great trait, it has also been my downfall many times.
I started my pottery experience the same way I typically start most things - with high expectations for myself.
The sensei showed us two different techniques to make a pinch pot. I wanted to make two perfect pots for succulents, to give as a gift to my mum and sister. As you can probably imagine, this did not happen. My first attempt ended with me scrunching up my pot and starting again.
The second attempt was much better but as I was finishing it, Sensei told us that we had one hour left. At this point I realised that if I wanted to have a finished product, I would need to get over my perfectionist ways.
I felt like I was being tested. I realised that my pots were not going to be perfect, no matter how much time I spent on them. I began to focus on good enough.
This changed everything. I managed to finish 3 pots, a coaster (it's not a coaster but more of a dish to place small items in), and 6 chopstick rests. I found the more I just pushed through and created, the more experimental I became and in the end the chopstick rests and coaster were my favourite items.
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