I make ceramics; vases, pots and pebbles in clay. I use natural objects to make impressions, like seed heads, leaves or flowers; pressing them in to the clay while it is still soft. I love the process of making with clay, it’s like meditation for me.

I also make drawings or doodles with coloured pen or pencil, usually when I am more relaxed or tired in the evenings. I might only do 5-10 minutes at a time, often while I’m watching TV. I find it soothing and I feel enriched by the bright colours.

This lockdown has given me a chance to observe how I deal with having more time. I want to be in the flow, but I stall it by telling myself I ‘should’ be being more creative! I noticed in the first couple of weeks I put a lot of pressure on myself by wanting to do everything at once. I think I burnt myself out a bit!

All the things I’d wanted to achieve in the last few years suddenly felt possible, BUT there was no way I could do them all at once!

My ADHD brain struggles with sequencing, what to do first, so beginning something is difficult as I often don’t know where to start. Planning things out step by step would be logical but I get bored by that. Being spontaneous seems much more fun but can be tricky too as other things get in the way. To be honest it’s all a bit of a mystery how I ever get anything done, but I do, in fits and starts.

Things that help, especially at the moment:

Ritual not routine

Routines make me feel restricted and I resist them but rituals seem to help me.

For instance, always having a peppermint tea when I sit down to make with clay.

And listening to an audio book.

I find I am able to listen more closely while my hands are doing something, as normally I’m so easily distracted and fidgety.

I like how a certain book then becomes associated with the pot that I’m making.

Photographs of nature and flowers by Maddie Millett

‘Filling up the well’:

This is a phrase I learnt years ago when I read the book The Artist’s Way. It is the idea that your creativity is a well springing forth from inside you but it needs replenishing, or it can run dry.

For me, filling up the well is spending time outdoors in nature. I love the easy state of mind I go into when I’m outside in green natural spaces and there is so much to look at and absorb around me. Of course I can’t go too far at the moment, but I am lucky enough to have two places I frequently visit nearby.

Allotment:

One is my allotment, where I do grow a bit of veg but I am no expert gardener. What is important to me is preserving a little sanctuary, not only for myself, but for the birds, butterflies, bees and insects that live there. I often take my shoes off and feel the connection to the earth.

Cemetery:

The other is the cemetery, a peaceful contemplative green space with bird song and wild flowers.

Photo diary:

I love to have a visual documentation of where I was and what I saw. I am always looking, very curious about my surroundings and the way things look. It is interesting to look back, especially in moments when I might feel a bit low, to see all the colours of nature in my photos and that I have done lots of good things and that this difficult time will pass.

Mutual support:

I meet - on Zoom at the moment – with a small group of friends who are doing similar creative things, we support each other and share what we’re doing and it helps a lot in feeling less isolated.

Clay and Doodling with Maddie Millett - Photographs by Maddie Millett

My creativity is helping to ground and balance me at this strange, unsettling time. I am switching off from news and getting out the clay or doodling when I can.

Day In the Life of a MW Artist

Day in the Life of Artist Maddie Millett