'Challenging Habits'
Polymer clay on glass bowl ‘Challenging Habits’
Last week my friend, Chris Carrington, invited me to watch Bev Rosen’s lecture and celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Fiddler On The Roof. The topic of survival in times of uncertainty is very close to my family’s experience in Russia. And Bev’s ability to transport us through time and space by telling Tevye’s powerful story ~ all made my experience special…
Today, I decided to play with a new glass, a small shallow bowl. As much as I prepared myself to be free from a certain vision and certain expectations, I found myself back on a “comfortable and familiar” path ~ an inclination to follow the line of the glass, the symmetry of the pattern, the harmony of the colors… I felt frustrated by the challenge to “step out of a habit”. A sudden thought crossed my mind: “What about the people in Tevye’s family? All their traditions, beliefs ~ all were challenged to the core. How did they feel?”
Somehow this reflection helped me to relax and overcome the challenges I was having with this particular creation. It amazes me how witnessing other peoples’ stories helps us relate their struggles to our own challenges. It opens us to a new way of seeing, feeling and thinking ~ and you never know when it may happen!