Summary
Kaye Hutton from Maldon aims to inspire others with her story on her journey with ACL Essex. Kaye turned 60 and felt she wanted to do things she’d never tried before.
Kaye Hutton from Maldon aims to inspire others with her story on her journey with ACL Essex. Kaye turned 60 and felt she wanted to do things she’d never tried before. She’d always wanted to give pottery a go, so she signed up for an ACL Essex course. With the support of her tutor, Kaye feels she’s built the skills to educate others and wants to pass on her new knowledge and experience.
Here’s Kaye’s story:
“I turned 60 and suddenly thought ‘Woah that went by too fast, where did all that time go?’. I felt like I was running out of time and I wanted to do things I’ve never tried. So, I signed up for pottery.
“From that first lump of mud, I just absolutely loved it. I was not only learning a new skill but it was good for my mind, body and soul. It’s all encompassing; you can’t think about anything else because it’s so hands on and organic. I liked the beauty of making something so fast, literally out of dirt.
“I did try other things in my first year, some I liked and some I didn’t, but if I didn’t try I wouldn’t have known that pottery is number one for me. It’s my thing. Some of the things I made in my first eight-week course have been in one of the display cabinets in Colchester. I think if you’re good at something, we should embrace and celebrate it.
“I wish I’d found these skills earlier on in life but then I don’t know if I would have been ready to embrace it. I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it as much had I done this in a different part of my life. As I’ve got older, I’m a lot more receptive to things; I’m not quite as hard-headed as I used to be. I believe in myself a little bit more as well, I think.
“ACL is very good. Anita, my pottery tutor, encourages me to do my own thing and pushes me. I’m not sure I would have had the love for pottery with someone else. She helps me to find a way to create new things. The social side is great as well; we all have a WhatsApp group to keep in touch.
“It’s not only about learning, but about giving. I want to pass this knowledge on, I don’t want to keep it for myself. I think the whole point of education is sharing. I’ve bought myself an old kick wheel to encourage other people to come and have a go. I’ve already roped in half a dozen people to come and try it, and I’d really like to encourage other people to give it a go.
“We’re not born to blend in, we’re born to stand out. I spent too many years being the quiet one, not saying or trying anything, but I’m so glad I tried pottery at ACL. You only ever regret not doing things; if you try it and you don’t like it, there’s nothing lost. If you’ve never tried it, you won’t know.
“Hopefully I will inspire others to try new things.”
To find out more about Creative Learning courses at ACL Essex, visit www.aclessex.com/creative.
