We recently connected with Aaron Geringer and have shared our conversation below.

Aaron, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I took my first pottery class during my final semester of college in 2013. Unfortunately, pottery is not a widely accessible craft, so it took me quite a while to find my way back to ceramics. In the winter of 2022-2023, my favorite bowl from that class broke. I remember feeling like “the best thing I ever made” was gone, and I’d never have the chance to create something like it again. That moment pushed me to do some research, and I discovered a couple of ceramics studios in my area that offered classes.

Learning how to throw on a pottery wheel (in ceramics, “throwing” refers to the process of shaping clay on the wheel) is notoriously challenging. For many people, mastering the fundamental steps—centering the clay, pulling up the vessel walls, balancing water usage, and so on—is incredibly difficult. As a beginner, there isn’t much immediate reward because so many of your pieces tend to fall apart on the wheel. Even after the classes ended, I struggled with the basics. It took months of persistence, trial, and error before I finally “got” it. There were countless moments when I considered giving up, convinced I wasn’t cut out to be a ceramicist. But once I overcame the learning curve, my pieces stopped collapsing, and I could see them through the final firing process, ceramics became much more rewarding.

Looking back on my journey, I’ve realized that for ceramics to become a sustainable and enjoyable craft, I had to be patient with myself and keep my expectations flexible. Patience allowed me to give myself permission to make mistakes—and making mistakes was essential to learning what to avoid in the future. As Thomas Edison famously said, “I learned 10,000 ways that don’t work.”

Flexibility in my expectations was equally important. There are so many variables in pottery, from start to finish, that can impact the outcome. It’s easy to ruin a piece at almost any stage, and the final firing often produces results that are unexpected—for better or worse. By embracing flexibility, I’ve found I’m more content with the final product and less upset when things don’t turn out as planned.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’ve been a mental health therapist for about eight years, and I began seriously pursuing pottery as a creative outlet about two years ago.

I call my pottery endeavor Ontology Clay. “Ontology” refers to the branch of philosophy that studies being and existence. The term resonates with me because working with clay brings me into a contemplative, inquisitive state, allowing me to explore the clay’s potential. I see each piece I create as a reflection of my inner dialogue with form, structure, and the natural world.

About half of my work is created on the wheel, where I focus on unique forms. Even when I repeat a shape, I enjoy adding slight variations that make each piece distinct. The other half of my work involves creating botanical prints, a process that also invites reflection. I use leaves and plant materials to press intricate details onto the clay, revealing patterns and textures that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Whether I’m throwing clay on the wheel or printing with plants, these practices provide me with a grounding space to connect with the material and with myself.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It’s hard to pick just one favorite aspect, as there are many rewarding parts to being a ceramicist. One of the things I most enjoy is creating art with a practical purpose.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe art needs to be “functional” to be valid. However, I love the ability to make something, like a mug, and use it every morning for my coffee. Or to savor a bowl of soup on a cold winter’s day from a vessel I created.

Functional ceramics provide a unique way to interact with art. They encourage me to slow down and appreciate the moment, engaging multiple senses as I experience the interplay of art and everyday life. I can savor the warmth and taste of the coffee while also noticing the nuances of the glaze on my mug.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I don’t really think that there are ‘creatives’ and ‘non-creatives.’ I believe everyone possesses inherent creativity. While the drive to engage with it may vary, everyone exhibits creative traits and engages in creative activities in diverse ways – whether in their profession, leisure, relationships, community, or culture.

For a long time, I didn’t consider myself an “artist,” though I yearned to be. In my 20s, I experimented with various creative outlets, such as photography and writing. However, it wasn’t until I had access to the world of ceramics that I found a medium that truly ignited my creative passions and sustained my engagement. (I think its worth noting that ceramics is not a widely accessible art form, which is so unfortunate and limiting for many people.)

I also experienced a period of impostor syndrome, particularly during my initial year of seriously pursuing ceramics, where I didn’t think I had the credibility to call myself an “artist”. I’ve since overcome this. I genuinely believe there us ab inner artist in everyone. The key to cultivating this persona lies in finding media that resonate with your creative impulses and allowing yourself the freedom to explore and express yourself through those channels. If there’s one piece of advice I’d offer to those seeking to cultivate their creativity and inner artist, it’s to embrace opportunities to experiment with various art forms. Try your hand at different media and see what resonates with you.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @OntologyClay
• Facebook: Ontology Clay