At first, I was convinced that all I needed to do was take a quick course and I’d succeed. Of course, it wasn’t quite that simple. Although I’ve always been creative and love making things with my hands, I was anything but satisfied with my first pottery results. So I had to keep practising, improving and sticking with it, with patience and passion.

When the first pieces finally, slowly started to emerge, I started looking for a studio space. Unfortunately, all I got was waiting lists. I took more courses to keep going.

Finally, I had the opportunity to set up my own studio at home. Step by step, I built the necessary infrastructure. Now I can continue my creative journey and at the same time realise my vision of giving others space to unleash their creativity.

It’s the clay that shows the way – not me. If I don’t listen to it, cracks can develop and a nice piece can explode in the oven. When that happens after the firing, I usually know why.

Depending on its structure, clay behaves differently, too, and it does its thing. There’s still a lot to learn. I’m not a fan of theory. I need to be able to try things out and learn from failing and succeeding. That’s what keeps me going.

I’m always being surprised. You can’t know how something’s going to turn out. The glaze is a black box. The colours run the way they like and separate instead of mixing. Time after time, I gather the courage and try not to have too precise an idea, as the product can break or not turn out how I imagined it. That’s why I’m working on embracing the pieces that turn out differently. For a set of six cups, however, I do the smart thing and start with nine, so that I can choose. That makes any losses easier to live with.

Producing something I can touch and see is very fulfilling. To me, throwing a cup is a special thing. I find working creatively in the studio both a form of relaxation and a reward. It helps me learn to be patient – and what it means to practice concentration. I have become more tolerant of my pieces and have learnt to enjoy and be proud of my results, even if it’s the eighth or ninth cup. Each piece is unique.

I dream of cultivating my passion more – for instance, by attending a pottery school in Sicily, where I want to learn about old techniques and special effects. In the long term, I could see myself opening up my studio for courses, co-working or sharing my passion with family and friends. Travelling and doing pottery in other places is also very appealing to me, as is combining it with learning new, international techniques.

The thrill whenever I open the kiln after glazing and finally see the finished pieces.