JASMINE: CERAMICS ARE MY ESCAPE!

Reader Jasmine explains how learning the craft of pottery and ceramics changed not just the way she saw school, but life as well...

Jasmine says:

When I started in Year Seven, I hated art. It was so far out of my reach - paints and pencils where no good for a girl with Ataxia and Ehlers Danlos who struggles to even hold a pencil let alone create art with one. Abstraction confused me because of my autism, which struggled with such concepts. So, as I much I wanted to, art was was just never something I could succeed at

When I was in Year Nine, my art teacher suggested I tried ceramics as he knew I had some sort of artistic talent inside of me. Well, he was right! From the first moment I touched the clay, I was hooked by its texture. It made me feel so calm and temporarily this would take my anxiety away. I could create beautiful things and could make the visions going on my head into a reality.

When I was in Year Nine picking options, I was not sure what to do. Academic subjects such as History and Geography took a lot of writing which my dyslexia could not cope with, while subjects like Technology and Food Tech held too many safety risks with my involuntary shakes. I spoke to my art teacher. He said of course he would continue teaching me ceramics even if this was not the route the rest of students where taking. He said if I was willing to put the effort in so was he. I am so thankful for this teacher's kindness and dedication - without him I would never have discovered art as my escape, my therapy.

While I was in Year Ten and Eleven, stressing out over the impending doom of colleges, seizures and exams I could always rely on ceramics to be there for me. Each new technique I learnt was like an escape to a whole new world. It felt like magic. Ceramics has given me an opening to art and made me explore, it has helped me leave the rigidity of my autistic mind and experience new things, and for this I will be forever thankful. Who knows - maybe I will even make a career out of it someday!

Cathy says:

When I first saw the pictures of Jasmine's ceramics work, I was blown away. I studied ceramics at exam level too, so I know how hard it is! I knew I had to ask Jasmine to write about her talent! Do YOU have a skill or talent you could share on DREAMCATCHER? Or a school subject you really love? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!