From Beginner to Beginner Again

Published on March 25, 2025

By Pete H.

The first time I sat back down at my pottery wheel after years spent away, it felt like greeting an old friend… but one who might judge my rusty skills.  

Previous to my recent reentry into ceramics, I last completed a piece four years ago. Janny and I had just welcomed our daughter into our lives, and like much of the world, we were staying close to home. Those early days of parenthood quickly turned into the busy, energetic reality of life with a growing child. Now, with a five-year-old, finding the time and energy to become a beginner again takes work. 

I knew I had to keep my expectations in check, but accepting that was difficult. I wouldn't be able to start where I had ended after years of ceramics classes.

Unlike when I was in college, when I could devote an entire day to honing my skills in the studio, I found that I needed to give myself permission to make bad art. Returning to ceramics wasn't about picking up where I left off, but embracing the journey of becoming a 'beginner again,' with all the challenges and rewards that come with it. 

I'm lucky to have all the necessary equipment to throw ceramics (though I sometimes felt a little guilty walking past it to get ready for work in the morning). With that initial barrier to entry sorted, I was then clumsily relearning what centering a lump of clay feels like. My initial attempts at centering were laughable. I could barely manage to keep the clay stuck to the wheel, much less center it. It felt like living the pottery version of You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)—except instead of a record, it was my clay (and mind) chaotically wobbling. I was humbled to say the least. 

Frustrated, yet excited, I turned to the library. I checked out a stack of ceramics books ranging from beginner guides to some advanced techniques. Revisiting the needed step-by-step guidance and diagrams was like having a kind and patient mentor guiding me through the basics again. It was amazing how much I had forgotten, and it was pleasantly surprising how some of the forgotten skills began to resurface with a bit of review.

The Beginner’s Guide to Wheel Throwing by Julia Claire Weber 

I found this resource invaluable in acclimating myself to making a lump of clay into something that resembles a ceramic vessel. Weber’s guide introduces you to starter projects like cups, bowls, and plates and includes tutorials on important topics like trimming and handles. Weber’s surface decoration and glazing instruction are contemporary, and the finished pieces would be at home on anyone’s table. 

Pinch Your Pottery by Jacqui Atkin 

If you would like to get your hands on some clay but prefer not to invest in studio time or purchasing pottery wheel equipment, pinch pottery is a wonderful place to start. Atkin illustrates the versatility of hand building with 35 beautiful projects that can be made with minimal equipment. You’ll find function and whimsy as you page through the project ideas that encourage you to add your own artistic touch to  objects you may use in your daily life. 

Easy Homemade Pottery by Francesca Stone 

While there are resources in Sioux Falls that will handle all of the stages of kiln firing to fuse clay into a durable, usable object, much can be done with polymer and air-dry clay at home. Stone introduces readers to decorative and functional wares that take firing ceramics entirely out of the equation. The good news is, if you catch the ceramics bug, much of the techniques used with these mediums can be transferred to more traditional clay bodies! 

There’s much more to explore in the world of pottery, and Siouxland’s collection is a great place to start. 

Lessons with Clay by Melisa Dora 

The Beginner’s Guide to Hand Building by Sunshine Cobb 

The Potter’s Studio Handbook by Kristin Muller 

Pinch Pottery by Susan Halls 

The Ceramics Bible by Louisa Taylor 

Amazing Glaze Recipes and Combinations by Gabriel Kline 

The Potter’s Studio Clay & Glaze Handbook by Jeff Zamek 

What areas of your life have you put on hold? What skills or passions have you let fade? It might be writing, playing a musical instrument, learning a language, or even just reconnecting with old friends. The feelings of hesitation and self-doubt are universal. Just as I found my way back to the clay, you can find your way back to your passions. The key is to start small, be patient, and embrace the process.