Earlier this year, while sitting on the couch one evening Mark said to me, “Why don’t we set up a pottery wheel for you here in the apartment?†Thus, the seed was planted.
To tell you the truth though, he actually had to talk me into it. A pottery wheel in our apartment? Can you imagine the mess? It didn’t take much for Mark to convince me this was a good idea, because before long everything fell into place – as it usually does when you make the right decision and follow the proper fork in the road.
Throughout the months of March & April we dismantled my home office. I hadn’t worked from home for over year and the space wasn’t being used. This inspired us to switch things up downstairs too and we ended up moving two shelving units upstairs to hold all of the pots I was about to make. On May 2 the transition from home office to home pottery studio was completed.
At first I just really wanted to get back into making pottery again. I had been an avid potter for many years, but for about 5 years I hadn’t made much pottery at all, despite the fact that there is a fully functioning pottery studio in our building – but that is a story for another time. I used to make tea pots all the time, so that was my goal: make a tea pot.
I discovered I was out of practice but after a few sessions it all came back to me. Soon I was throwing so much pottery that my hands were getting raw. And I made not just one tea pot but several. Suddenly my pottery world was wide open again, I was inspired. My dreams about pottery started again and I really looked forward to my next session at the wheel. But what the heck was I going to do with all this pottery?
Would it be possible to actually sell my pottery and perhaps start on a creative career path? I dared to dream and started reading about how to turn my creative hobby into a business. I thought this was something I’d do on my weekends. I spoke to a friend of mine about building a website, I registered the URLs and started planning my pottery side-line business.
In August Mark and I took our Girls to Ontario for a vacation. When I got back to Vancouver and headed into the office for work on Monday, I promptly found out I no longer had a job. I was in shock for a while and I was completely crushed. This was the first time since I was 14 that I wasn’t either employed or a student and it felt unfamiliar and surreal to not be an “employee†any longer.
But this job loss – was this the proverbial knock from Opportunity? I took it as a sign that I needed to ramp up my pottery business plans. And now here you are reading about what I’m about to do with my life.
I love making pottery, I love writing about it, talking with people about what I’m making these days, I love to teach pottery and I love sharing this part of my life, in fact I want you to have a piece of my pottery, really, I do.
So I’m taking requests, what do you want me to make at my pottery wheel for you? A cereal bowl? Does your dog need a water dish? Would you like a fancy mug for the office kitchen? How about a sugar dish, do you need one of those? Or do you want a tea pot? I’m not quite ready to start selling yet, but oh how I love to practice new designs, this is your chance to get a Mena Dragonfly Original for free. My caveat is this: I cannot make any guarantees about anything, but I’ll do my best to blow you away with my talent.
I am so very excited about the future right now. I don’t know if this will lead to me becoming a full-time professional potter, but I do know this: I’m inspired, inspired to write again, inspired to make tea pots again, and inspired to share my experiences with you here on this website.
Thank you Colin for being instrumental in the creation of my new online space.
And thank you to Mark and my very wide, caring and supportive network of friends and family, you all helped me get through a rough patch there and I think about all of you all the time.
Congratulations Melanie! I so look forward to getting a studio tour in the coming days-post firing, and your new site looks great! go get’m girlie!
such a happy way to start off a monday! i have always been a huge supported of independant employment and it’s been my good fortune that creative avenues do have a great payout-fiscally and mentally…..I would like to take you up on your offer of new designs and hope to one day find myself sipping an americano out of an melanie mena mug….I have now broken all the mugs that went with my first addition tea pot-thought the pot is still in great shape and used daily…..thanks for starting back up your blog, I will put it in my favourites-well, because I know how to do that kind of stuff now,….haha…xoxoxmeredith
Thanks you two!
Sharon – come on by anytime, you’re always welcome!
Meredith – I had been wondering about that tea set, it was the first and only tea set I ever made, so glad the teapot is still around and being used. Your new mug will arrive soon.
Hi Sweetie,
Wow what a great job CONGRATULATIONS! I am still drinking tea from my dragonfly mug and enjoy every sip knowing the LOVE that went into making it. I wish you all the success in the world you deserve that and more. Can’t wait to see your studio,and of course you,Mark and the girls.
Love ya xo
Mom
Melanie ,
first of all your website is absouletly beautiful, Second of all i want a mug to … hahaha thats if they are making there way to newfoundland ,which i say could be possible!!! Its really nice to see how talented you are we are all so far away its seem immpossible to keep up on everyones lives. I really enjoyed menadragonfly i hope to hear and see more in the years to follow!!!
Loves yah :
Melissa , Scott & Blake xoxoxo
Well Done Melanie:
It is delightful to enjoy your blog once more,and to know that you are spending your time doing what you love. While I have had many different jobs, the trick was always to find an occupation that paid me to do what I would do in my spare time. I am intrigued by your offer to create something unique. As I know absolutely nothing about the potting process, is is possible to create a coffee mug with a harp for a handle? That way, every time I practice I would think of you “pottering”.
a bientot,
Dorothy
Hi hunny you have so much talent and you are the one to use it to the fullest. Congradulations from your family in Newfoundland we are so proud of you. Your website is very nice i can’t wait to see more.
Love you and Miss you Mark and the girls,
Aunt chris
xoxoxo
I love your website Melanie, and I love your pottery so much . Looking forward to seeing more and more. You are so talented, and I wish you much success in all your endeavours.
xoxo
Dalia
Melanie, I love it that you have made this bold move to setting up your business because I think your stuff rocks.
I am in need of a teapot, can I come by and choose from what you’ve made?
Thank you all so much for your kind words and encouragement – it means a lot to me. I’ll get in touch with each of you about your new pottery. Thank you!
I noticed on my flickr site that your blog is back up and here I am procrastinating from school work. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason and it’s no surprise to me that you would end up at the wheel as more than just a hobbyist. I’m very happy to have a Melanie Mena original in my collection. :o)
That was supposed to be a smiley face. 🙂
cool news.
robe blanche
I have been looking around http://www.menadragonfly.com and actually am impressed by the great content here. I work the nightshift at my job and it is boring. I have been coming here for the previous couple nights and reading. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve been enjoying what I’ve seen and I look ahead to reading more.