Chapter 14: Making Connections

When I was 16 years old, I was a camp counselor. I was “crafty Jeannie.” I loved art and knew what I was doing. I enjoyed helping the students be creative. The art reminded me that it’s important to let go. And then there was Miss Murphy. She was the high school art teacher. She was artsy, kind, talkative, energetic and supportive. Miss Murphy pulled me into her class and helped me stay on the right track. I remember watching students so engaged in their art that I realized right then that this work was good for the soul. And to this day, I still teach pottery classes and make pottery. It’s meditative. I get lost in what I’m doing. I like quiet in my art space. That time is for me to process what’s going on in my life and putting my energy into my art. It’s calming and relaxing. I grew up knowing I had Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). I can’t read books, because it’s hard to focus, but doing pottery, it’s another world. It’s another experience. And doing this chapter is actually encouraging me to get back into that damn studio.