For senior Audrie Pratt, the quiet, methodical art of ceramics is a revolution against the “fast art” world, teaching her the value of “earthy sculpture” and “whimsical style.”
The scent of damp earth and the rhythmic whir of the potters wheel fill the classroom as Audrie Pratt expertly guides a cylinder of clay upward. Audrie Pratt, a senior, finds the process “pretty fascinating,” especially, “Being able to let go and create something out of your own hands.”
A senior at Upper Merion, Audrie Pratt yet again signed up for ceramics but with the difference of being placed in advanced classes for her elective. Her ceramics journey started as a schedule filler her sophomore year and quickly turned into a passionate hobby. Audrie states, “Choosing ceramics was easy. It alone drew me in.”
Audrie explains, “I have always been a creative person…My creativity has always inspired me. It’s what drives me to make something unordinary, something above basic.” Her most recent work– a series of hand built bowls featuring delicate, organic textures– is an example of her craftsmanship. For Audrie, ceramics is a chance to create something new and long-lasting that holds a piece of herself.
Audrie’s first project, a massive vase that was structurally sound but ultimately “too big and lacking in color,” left her deeply unsatisfied. Despite having the good fortune of her piece not collapsing, she admitted she couldn’t find herself to love the final outcome. Audrie says, “But after I reflected on all the hours I worked for, I realized I could make use of all the lessons I learned…I guess that was the moment I realized that not every piece would come out perfect.”
“I’m very grateful to have ceramics in my life.” – Audrie Pratt
You just have to let it go. That ability to recover from failure requires patience, which Audrie comments, “It’s definitely something I had to get used to.” When a pot collapses or the glaze cracks, Audrie has learned that the material itself forces an artist to reset, accept the mistake, and begin anew. Working with clay has taught Audrie to face and challenge herself with confidence in every project she comes to work on.
After many rhythmic motions of wedging, centering, and pulling clay, Audrie sets her finished project on the counter. She smiles, knowing that the true achievement wasn’t the final vase, but the patience and confidence she built in embracing the inevitable flaws of the process.
