Do you ever catch yourself avoiding the kinds of tasks that don’t feel urgent, but still need to get done?
For me, this week it was kiln maintenance. My shelves had seen a lot of firings, and I’d been putting off the work of vacuuming out the dust, scraping down old glaze spots, and brushing on fresh kiln wash. For my ADHD brain, these are the hardest kinds of jobs to start. They don’t give me the instant spark of a new design or the thrill of opening the kiln after a firing. But eventually, they can’t be ignored.
When I finally got into a groove, the work felt steady. Scraping, mixing, and brushing each found their own pace, and before long the shelves looked cleaner and brighter. Watching the kiln wash dry in the sun felt like a small reset, almost in step with the season outside. Summer’s still lingering, but fall is around the corner—the sunflowers are tall, the squash is ripening, and even the air feels like it’s shifting.
Earlier in the week, I joined a meditation at the Theosophical Society where we reflected on how we respond to external sensations—what we chase, and what we avoid. I thought about that as I worked on my shelves. I realized how often I avoid the discomfort of these small, unglamorous jobs, when in reality, they make everything else possible. Fresh shelves aren’t just practical—they clear space in my kiln and in my mind, giving me energy for the creative work I love.
These behind-the-scenes tasks may not be flashy, but they’re part of the cycle. They remind me that being an artist isn’t only about big leaps or exciting projects. It’s also about showing up for the care, the maintenance, and the little resets that keep the whole process moving.
If you’d like to see more of the process—and how these reflections unfolded along the way—I filmed the whole thing in this week’s vlog. You can watch it here.
Studio Notes
- Fall/Winter Collection: Launching in early October. Studio Insiders will be the first to know the date and will get early access.
- Markets: Thank you to everyone who visited me at Harvest Fest this past weekend—it was such a joy to meet you. I’ll be at the Geneva French Market on Sept 14 and Sept 28. If you’re local, swing by to say hi; Geneva is always lovely for a Sunday stroll.
- Giveaway: I’m raffling a $50 gift card to my website this month. To enter, email me at jill@lilikoiproject.com. Folks who sign up in person at my September markets are automatically included. I’ll draw a winner at the end of the month.
- Podcast: Launching in October. More details soon!