Last Updated on February 28, 2024 by Nico
Sylwia Kolasinska is the founder of Mud Station, a pottery studio and community hub. We spoke about the mental health benefits of working with your hands, the magic of wood firing kilns, and the importance of being intentional about the things we surround ourselves with.
Part of simplifying consumption means trying to reduce what we surround ourselves with to that which is necessary. But this do not mean having a space that is devoid of personality. The necessities of life, like the mugs we drink our coffee from or the plates we eat our meals off of do not have be barren or stark; they can reflect who we are, our preferences and tastes.
In our conversation, Sylwia and I spoke about intentional consumption. One of her hesitations with creating an online shop is that when you’re being intentional about what you surround yourself with, buying a mug isn’t as simple as adding it to a shopping cart online. Does the handle feel right? Do you like the material it’s constructed from? Do you like the weight of it?
Equally, knowing the people behind the things we buy is an important part of living simply.
As I dive deeper into reducing what we own and buy more things locally, I am also trying to get to know the people who make the mugs we drink from and who grow the food we eat. I’m interested in getting to know the people who have chosen to spend their lives becoming excellent at something – from potting and knife making, to regenerative gardening and seed saving.
From my time with Sylwia, it was clear that the long list (endless, really) of things one can learn about potting, was driving her to continue to hone her craft. It was a reminder of just how much time and work goes into craftsmanship, in celebration of creating something that enriches our lives. I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation.
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