Mud, Muscle Memory, & Motherhood: A Huntsville Pottery Adventure
Recently, my daughter and I decided to venture taking a local pottery wheel class at the Huntsville Museum of Art, taught by an excellent teacher, David Edwards. I had not touched a wheel since high school—let’s just say that was “a while” ago!
I have always loved the beautiful mess of ceramics. There is something so incredibily therapeutic about the gooey, tactile process of throwing clay (not in your face but on the wheel-haha). Edwards reminded us that it is just like riding a bike—it all comes back through muscle memory. He was right! While my daughter was soaking up new techniques, I found myself leaning into the old, forgotten rhythm, trusting my hands to remember what my brain had tucked away and learning new things about pottery.
Watching us work, I was reminded of how uniquely we are crafted. We share a deep love for art, yet our creative strengths are completely different. It’s a beautiful reminder that we are all ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’—designed masterpieces with distinct talents and purposes.
As artists, we never truly stop learning. It brings to mind Hebrews 12:1-2, “…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on the Creator, the pioneer and perfecter of faith…” Whether I am painting a detailed watercolor portrait of a pet or shaping a slightly lopsided bowl, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. It requires patience, grace, and finding your ‘groove.’
That spark from class did not stay at the museum, though. We decided to keep the momentum going and bought two boxes of white and red clay to “play in the mud” back in our private studio! I finally dove into the red clay and created my very first hand-built piece: a tall, fun mug featuring pattern of shells, sharks, and fish featuring the phrases “Seas the Day” and “Shell-ebrate Every Moment.”
This is a beloved combination of things I love. As an artist, my mission is to create work that slows the heart and reflects beauty and grace-an invitation to pause, reflect, and cherish the gift of the present. My hand-built mug is a reflection of just that, encouraging others to cherish the here and now. It is a gift; do not take it for granted! I am so enjoying this shared time with my daughter, playing with mud and rediscovering the joy of the journey.
Supporting our local Madison County arts scene is not just about the skill; it is about the joy of the journey.
Now, I’d love to hear from you! Do you have a favorite local Huntsville art class? Or are you diving back into a creative hobby you have not touched in years? Who else loves to play in mud? Let me know in the comments below!
Based in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Amy Boardman is a fine artist specializing in expressionist realism watercolor and acrylic paintings. From her studio in Huntsville, Alabama, she creates original hand-painted animal illustrations, landscapes and coastal scenes for collectors across North Alabama--including Madison, Decatur, Hampton Cove, Scottsboro, and Guntersville--as well as throughout the USA. Every piece is hand-painted in the USA with a mission to help you pause, reflect, and appreciate the beauty of the present moment. [Explore her gallery]
Hand Built Mug By Artist Amy Boardman -Copyright 2026 All Rights Reserved Amy Boardman
