Finding Stillness in Clay: How Creativity and Coaching Help Us Reconnect
Clay has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember—from making mud pies in the garden with my mother, to school art classes, to completing my MA in Ceramics at Cardiff University, and now working in my studio in Bristol.
There’s something uniquely grounding about working with clay. I’m always aware of its changing nature—too wet, and it collapses; too dry, and it cracks. Some clays are silky smooth and capture every fingerprint, while others are gritty and full of texture. This sensitivity to material draws me into a state of deep focus. When I’m immersed in the making process, all other distractions fade away—even if just for a little while.
I witness the same sense of presence in my students. People who are usually easily distracted become completely absorbed in the material. The room quiets. Faces contort in concentration. Hands move instinctively. The clay demands attention, and in return, it offers a rare moment of stillness. Occasionally, a dropped piece may spark an expletive—but then comes the quiet return to form, to reshaping, to being in the moment again.
Recently, I experienced a creative block. I’m not quite sure what triggered it, but I noticed its effect immediately. I couldn’t silence the noise around me. The grounding stillness that clay normally provided was out of reach. To find my way back, I began small—handling clay for just a few minutes a day. No pressure. No expectations. Just the sensation of the material in my hands. It reminded me that when we lose our way, diving straight into the deep end isn’t always possible. Sometimes, we need to step gently into the shallows.
This idea carries over into my coaching work. I often see clients who feel overwhelmed or stuck. The coaching process isn’t about pushing them into rapid transformation—it’s about creating a space where they can take small, steady steps at their own pace. As their confidence builds, so does their willingness to go deeper.
In this shared space of presence and reflection, change happens. Clients gain insights they wouldn’t have discovered without the quiet permission to slow down and be truly heard. In a world full of noise and endless distractions, presence is a rare gift—and a powerful one.
If you’re feeling the pull to reconnect with your creative self, or simply need space to think and be, I invite you to step into the shallows with me.
Contact us at Rock Pool Coaching for more information.