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Rachel Zylka | Episode 822
Rachel Zylka is a Psychologist who does psycho-educational assessments and provides behavioral support for families, children, and young adults. Rachel is also a self-proclaimed “accidental maker” who fell in with clay. As a micro batch maker, Rachel makes limited edition functional work.
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I am curious about your Instagram name ad.mire. Where did that come from?
It came from…well mire, something that clay and earth, an object that you admire. So I put those two together. An object that you admire that is made out of mud.
You have two careers going on, clay and a psychology career. Do you use art in your practice?
I don’t. So I do psychological assessments mostly and I work with kids and families as well. I use art for my own mental health and I think psychology and mental health and art have a long history together, either guided by a psychologist in art therapy or self initiated. They are both about making a difference at the end of the day. I practice psychology to make a difference. I make art for myself but also to make a difference hopefully. One of the reasons you make this podcast is likely to make a difference? Right?
Yes, totally.
So did you see art then as a direct source of healing for yourself?
Absolutely. Yeah, it is an opportunity to get outside yourself, to give yourself perspective on things, instead of maybe that viscous cycle of negative thoughts or worries you can open up a bag of clay and get immersed in that meditative process of just making something. It gives you a reprieve from all of that is going on in your life.
What kind of reactions or difference do you want your creations to impart on people?
Joy. Yeah, I mean is there anything better than that? (laughter) Joy? It’s what we are all looking for isn’t it?
Yes. That’s so good.
What has you excited that you are making in the studio right now?
I’ve got a few things going on right now. I have lots of ideas but it’s all about that task completion for me, the follow through and deciding which ideas I actually want to pursue. And then again that perfectionism piece, once I get to a certain spot where I am not sure of something and how to complete it in a perfect way. And I know there’s not perfect way to complete it but I sometimes get stuck so I have bits and pieces of projects all over my studio that I just need to finish and get it out the door. But right now I’m really into colored porcelain and porcelain inlay and mashing bits of colored porcelain into stoneware.
What has you challenged in the studio right now?
Cleaning up. (laughter) In the workshop studio all systems are in place for clean up but in my home studio things are a little bit more rudimentary. I haven’t set up a sink trap, a clay trap in the washroom that ‘s closest to my studio and that inevitably leaves me with bowls of water and clay littered around so the clean up is such a process for me. And so I need to figure out a way to put a trap in so it’s not this process. So yeah, the clean up is challenging, also being patient is challenging with clay. Ceramics ais a lot of being patient and also being clean.
How do you work with your children’s creativity?
Kid’s are just the most creative beings. They really are, it comes so naturally to them and I am just feel like I am just working hard to not let all the expectations of life and what is art and all the obstacles that my kids will come up against going through school and teaching art and not be too influenced by that. It is kind of ridiculous that we are saying some art is good and some art isn’t good. Art in every form is beautiful. If someone is making something, it’s beautiful. You can always find something that resonates with you. I make ceramics with them and we have art supplies out everywhere. Our home is not a beautiful, pristine place, this is where the kids can pull out the makers and draw and if it gets on the table it doesn’t matter. I also like to share with them people that inspired me as a child. For me I was so inspired by Jim Henson as a kid and so exposing them to some of the things that sparked my creativity when I was younger like Jim Henson movies.
Book
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Contact
Etsy: ordinaryclay
Instagram: @ad.mire