Simplification and following your dreams

I’ve shared my story here and there over the last year as our ceramics studio on the property here in Goshen has evolved. I’ve mentioned how this has been a dream of mine for a long time. How I have longed to be a part of this ceramic community in Goshen, IN. But even purchasing a studio still can feel like miles away from accomplishing that dream.

After a year of juggling a full-time job writing and working upwards of 60 hours per week, trying to build out a studio, and attending to the needs of my family, I decided to make the jump. The jump into being a full-time ceramics artist. The funny thing is, what pushed me came out of nowhere.

In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, my wife and I were approached about purchasing a regional food and culture publication: Edible Michiana. I was more or less familiar with the magazine, which many of our friends deemed “coffee table worthy.” But the finer details of the who, when, and where behind this publication were not.

Edible Michiana is part of the larger Edible Communities, a network of publications across North America that focus on the regional happenings across our country. It’s a great place to find the latest restaurants in your area, pick up some new in-seasons recipes to try, and fawn over the gorgeous photography.

Given the nudge I was feeling to make changes in my professional life, my interest was piqued. Half a year later, I had left my 9to5 job, owned the magazine with my wife, and started working in the studio full-time.

Edible Michiana is, without a doubt, a full-time job in its own right. But, given that it’s a quarterly publication at this time, it has a fairly predictable rhythm and gives me space to pursue other passions.

That includes time in the studio and being a full-time caretaker for our daughter. Two joys in my life that have become increasingly non-negotiable. I love making pots and I love being a dad.

These days, the mornings look a bit slower and the nights are a bit longer. Weekends seem more like weekdays, and Monday and Tuesday are more open. I’ve made a real commitment to my physical health and enjoy doing yoga roughly five times a week while also running on the treadmill or riding the bike in our basement. Mental health is strong.

On the studio front, I’m relishing in the idea that I’m a potter. It’s part of my profession now. While I’ve been consistently working on building inventory for Etsy shop updates and summer shows, a surprise came my way in late January that provided a clearer picture for what this new life might look like.

Justin Rothshank, a new friend and well-known potter from Goshen, invited me to join his team of production potters. Given that my studio is just a stone’s throw from his home, it made a lot of sense. Adding in a consistent routine of creating 100+ mugs, tumblers, and steins per week, and it has brought a kind of focus to my studio that I’m grateful for. If you bought a Bernie mitten cup recently, chances are my hands were in the process. It’s been a joy and mental challenge to manage the scheduling, drying cycle, and kiln firings but the pay-off has been huge for my skill-building.

So that’s what life looks like now. In fact, this is the first time I’ve written anything in a month. Which is a welcome change from the thousands of words I was churning out daily. I feel refreshed. Life is good and simpler. I’m thankful for progress on the vaccine front of the COVID-19 pandemic and hopeful brighter days are ahead.

Thanks for following along.