SIMPLE THINGS ARE WHAT MAKE ME THE HAPPIEST. AS A CHILD I FOUND MYSELF TRAVELING TO MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE WITH MY MOTHER AND AS USUAL SHE HAD ARRANGED FOR HER THREE CHILDREN TO HAVE FUN THINGS TO DO THAT SUMMER. WHO WOULD EVER HAVE THOUGHT THAT SITTING IN MR. WALSH'S POTTERY CLASSES WOULD HAVE PLANTED A SEED...A SEED THAT HAS BLOSSOMED SOME THIRTY YEARS LATER. I REMEMBER TELLING MYSELF THAT ONE-DAY I WAS GOING TO DO THIS. WITH THE HELP AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF MY WONDERFUL FAMILY I AM NOW LIVING A DREAM...MY DREAM OF BEING A POTTER. POTTERY HAS BECOME AN EXCITING AND UNIQUE ADVENTURE FOR ME. WHAT MAY WORK FOR ONE MAY NOT WORK FOR THE OTHER AND THE JOURNEY OF FINDING WHAT DOES WORK FOR ME IS THE BEAUTY OF THE FINISHED PIECE. I HAVE FOUND A NEW MEANING FOR PEACEFULNESS AND CREATIVITY. ONE IMPORTANT GOAL OF MINE IS TO BE MYSELF AND TO LET THAT BLEED THROUGH INTO MY WORK. I STILL REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME SOMEONE SAID..."THIS LOOKS LIKE YOU"...THAT WAS GRAND TO ME! I WAS TOLD TO "BECOME THE CLAY" AND NOW I TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. I FEEL THAT THE IMPERFECTIONS MAKE MY WORK FLOW WITH CHARACTER. ONE WOULD FIND THE SURROUNDINGS OF MY STUDIO ARE CALM AND RUSTIC. THE OCCATIONAL GLANCE OF MY SONS DOG "DUTCH" RESTING AS I WORK AND MY HORSES NICKERING FOR SOME ATTENTION ARE ALL THERAPEUTIC. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE ESSENCE OF THE TICKING OF TIME CEASES. ONE WOULD FIND SIMPLE THINGS THAT ARE USED AS SOME OF MY TOOLS. THESE THINGS ARE NOT BOUGHT BUT RATHER STUMBLED UPON ALONG THE WAY...BUT THEN AGAIN I HAVE ALWAYS FELT THE PURE AND SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE AREN'T BOUGHT...RATHER THEY ARE DISCOVERED. GLAZES HAVE BEEN ANOTHER ADVENTURE IN THEMSELVES. SOME HAVE WORKED AND SOME HAVE NOT, BUT I ALSO GO WITH MY FIRST FEELING. THE GLAZES THAT I DRESS MY CLAY WITH LOOK LIKE ME OR SO I HAVE BEEN TOLD. ALL OF THESE ROADS HAVE TAUGHT ME THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON IN BEING A POTTER...BE YOURSELF IN CREATING AND LET YOUR WORK CARRY A PIECE OF YOU WITH THEM. leiann waters