My kitchen needed ceramics. So did I

It may sound amusing, but Nara Smith was the one who sparked my interest in ceramics. My introduction to TokTok’s Mormon Tradship was through an old video of her enjoying a late-night snack. Smith described her dessert as whipped cream with blackberries, raspberries, and coconut sugar on top, but what caught my eye was the cream-colored bubble plate she used. In another video that became popular, Smith asked if you ever craved something you’d never had but sounded delicious in your mind. For me, it was the bubble plate, which became a newfound necessity rather than a desire. I imagined enjoying various foods on the bubble plate: crudités, vanilla ice cream with olive oil, and elaborate yogurt bowls with granola, fruit, and cacao nibs. Eating would not only taste good but also look good, especially in our digital age where photographing food before eating has become a social media trend.

However, perfection comes at a cost. The bubble plates I desired from Gustaf Westman Objects were priced at 55 euros each, or over $62. Despite the high price, my desire for those plates remained strong. So, I thought, why not try making them myself if I couldn’t buy them?

Embarking on this endeavor seemed absurd – a $62 plate leading to spending hundreds more to try and replicate it. Yet, the idea stuck in my mind, persistent and impossible to ignore. I was a complete novice in ceramics, with my last encounter with clay dating back to elementary school. Despite lacking experience with a pottery wheel, my determination to own a bubble plate and stay frugal led me to enroll in a wheel throwing class in April.

My first day of class was marked by overconfidence as I underestimated the difficulty of the craft. I struggled with centering the clay, controlling the wheel’s speed, and maintaining proper form. Despite a disastrous start that made me want to quit, I pushed through.

By the third class, I began to develop a connection with the clay, and things started falling into place. With my elbows anchored and following my instructor’s guidance, I successfully molded my first piece – a bowl. The process felt meditative, and the studio atmosphere was serene.

Creating ceramics taught me valuable lessons in patience, perseverance, and finding beauty in imperfections. It reminded me of the satisfaction of crafting something from scratch, appreciating its uniqueness. While my bubble plate project remains ongoing, I look forward to further classes to explore new possibilities.