This photo is looking at a piece of pottery that I made recently. It is a mug with a glaze called eggshell and the glaze is special because it is satin matte in stead of the typical shiny glaze. Satin matte glazes have a soft feeling compared to a sleek shiny finish. I am excited about this mug because it survived the firings in the kiln and came out very even in color distribution. I find joy in the moments of pottery where all of the steps in the process came together to have a successful outcome. The moment right before this photo consisted of me discovering the mug after it had come out of the kiln and feeling very content about the work that I had completed. I have few moments in pottery where I feel satisfied with my work because I find myself looking for more and wanted better outcomes. But, what makes it worth it is the process and the couple of moments I get to experience a successful piece. Pottery has taught me a lot about gratitude and letting go. I feel grateful for building a community of people with a shared love for ceramics and feeling accepted by them in this craft. I am going against the traditional expectations that were placed on me by my family growing up and do not have a close relationship with my immediate family. Pottery has opened a door to a chosen family and web of people who have welcomed me with open arms and hearts. I feel grateful that the people around me believe in my ability to succeed as an artist and as a future teacher. I am learning to let go of the things that I cannot control through planning for unplanned outcomes and preparing for things to go wrong.