Hayden Ainsworth: Pottery Man

by Ellie Arch

Pottery has been around for centuries, having been involved in many cultures and civilizations. Pottery tells stories, shares experiences, and expresses the complexities of human life. Pottery is art, and is one of the more difficult art forms to master. The patience it requires is unlike many other art mediums and mistakes can be more fatal than a misplaced paint-stroke.

Hayden Ainsworth has spent the last three to four years mastering the art of pottery through classes here at Lewis and Clark and has found his love for the craft.

Like all seniors here at Lewis and Clark, Hayden started his freshman year through online learning, but his jumpstart into pottery didn’t begin until sophomore year.

“Sophomore year was when I really got exposed to it and started throwing just about every day,” says Ainsworth. He described his early days in pottery as being much less than great, to put it nicely, but as he spent more and more hours on the throwing wheel, his skills steadily improved.

Pottery has a steep learning curve that Hayden describes as the main struggle with getting into pottery.

“Just finishing work is a struggle sometimes,” he answers when asked about his struggles with creating pottery. “I enjoy doing some steps more than others, like the actual throwing of pottery, and not so much trimming and some of the other processes.”

As the years passed, Hayden became more involved in his pottery. As he grew with his art, the lessons he learned spread far beyond pottery.

“Pottery has taught me to see beauty in shapes and designs.” Seeing the beauty in different places is one of the most valuable lessons a person can be taught—it gives you the ability to find joy in things that aren’t always joyful.

Hayden hopes to push this beauty beyond his limits for his portfolio for AP Studio Art, wanting to create larger pieces with sharper angles. Along with his pottery goals for class, Hayden hopes to continue working with pottery into his adult life.

Mark Moore, a Spokane resident, runs a studio here in town where he makes and showcases pottery. During the summer, Hayden and Moore chatted about pottery. When we asked about Hayden’s inspirations and influences, Hayden talks about Moore’s skills along with other highly skilled potterers across media platforms. Although direct collaboration is hard in ceramics, Hayden says it is a great experience to sit down with other artists and throw pottery together.

Depending on the technique or vision, pottery can either be a simplistic artform or an intricate one. No matter which way you lean, pottery is a lot more hands on and interactive than many other forms of art.

As Hayden states, “I get bored drawing or painting, and I’m also not very good at those things. Pottery is just kind of my jam.”

A brief interview with Mr. Brazill, the ceramics teacher, showcases Hayden’s improvement over the years. “[Hayden] had never been on the potter’s wheel before and was really excited about getting on there and learning the process.” Brazill mentions the time Hayden spent on the wheel and how long it takes to just get the hang of throwing. “[Hayden] has become really confident and does some really beautiful work.”