So, there are a lot of fantastic hobbies out there, particularly for the creative folk. While I gravitate to the arts, baking, and knitting, I am in no way in my final hobby enthusiast form. Learning is almost as fun as hobbies. Maybe it is a hobby all on its own…
Anyways. Here is a brief history of some hobbies I have explored.
Pottery
Okay, so before taking a couple local pottery classes, I thought that pottery seemed easy. Beautiful, smooth clay cups and bowls and plates look so simple. Artisans make it look effortless. And so did some of the other pottery students around me. But the pottery wheel truly humbled me. There was frustration, tears, and, ultimately, a realisation that handbuilding with clay brings me much more joy. I decided to lean into that direction. While my vision for a beautiful coffee cup that fit perfectly in my hands did not come to fruition, I did walk away with several pumpkins, a bird, and a strange turtle. Not bad!
Ranking: 4/5
Silversmithing
So this class was taken on a whim, with very little prior knowledge. I thought it would be like welding on a smaller scale, but did not really have any other inkling of what we would learn. While the instructor was so cool, and the ring I made turned out great, I cannot say silversmithing is going on my top five favorite hobbies. Despite the torches, it simply did not spark joy. Though, there is a very good chance I would take another jewelry class in a heartbeat. It really was very interesting to work through all the steps.
Ranking: 2.5/5
Pressed Flowers
Before this class, I knew very very little about pressed flowers. I thought you find a good leaf, leave it between the pages of a heavy book for a while, and ta-da! A flat plant. But there is so much more to it. The plant selection. The pristine petal cutting and placement. The care during the drying process. It is simple in some ways, but complicated in others. What really stood out to me was how long it takes to actually get a well-pressed flower. And how pigment changes during the process. White roses turn light yellow? Who would have thought?!
Ranking: 4/5
Final Thoughts
New skills are so fun to try, and I am excited for my next round of learning. I hope to learn more about oil painting in the future. Maybe I will learn a new musical instrument. Who knows?! My hobby era is a journey with no destination, but plenty of fun pit stops. Hooray for the next adventure!