Pottery Experience at O' Hen Art Studio

I always wanted to know how pottery really feels. Something we mostly encounter in history books while reading about early civilisations, the invention of the wheel and the evolution of human life. It’s a story we memorise as progress but rarely get to experience with our own hand.

I had been waiting for this for almost six years. Maybe everything has its own timing. And in my case, it started with one small thing. Zubeen Da’s Roi Roi Binale 2D animation clip on Instagram made by O’ Hen Art Studio and that reel led me to the pottery and I signed up without a second thought.

Guwahati, at the moment, doesn’t have many places to simply be. Everywhere feels like a construction site or a work in progress. So finding a quiet escape, especially one meant for art lovers, for slowing down, for clearing the mind feels rare. In that sense, O’ Hen Art Studio feels like a small refuge. A perfect place to step away, breathe and spend time with yourself.

There’s a distinct zen vibe the moment you walk in. A calmness that settles gently. And beyond the space itself, there’s a warmth you can feel. Unforced, welcoming, human. It makes you want to stay a little longer.

My mentor, Khairul Daa, is kind, fun and full of ideas. On Day 1, we made a bowl. And honestly, that night I wondered, “Is this what the next four days will be like?”

But then came the surprise.

Each day felt better than the last. New tasks, new ideas, new shapes forming under my hands. And in between, warm conversations about art, cinema, music and life over coffee.

On my last day, I felt genuinely sad that the five day journey was over. There is something calming about shaping clay, polishing it with care and watching it slowly become your own. Those 3–3.5 hours every day felt grounding. Almost like stepping into another world.

And pottery didn’t just teach me technique. It taught me a few quiet lessons:

Patience

It makes you slow down and respect its pace. Nothing happens before its time.

Presence

You cannot drift away. Your hands demand your full attention.

Trust

You work slowly without knowing how it will turn out. You only see the final piece at the end and that teaches faith in the process.

Letting go of perfection

Nothing in pottery is perfectly perfect. The imperfections feel warm, honest, alive.

Balance

It shows you how to hold softness and strength together. When to be gentle and when to be firm.

On my last day, a couple joined the class. And honestly, it felt like a full-circle moment. A reminder that this journey doesn’t end. It simply continues in new hands and new shapes. To commemorate that idea, I thought of making something that starts from the beginning and completes my five-day journey.

Thank you Khairul Daa and Jerina Baa for this beautiful experience, for this beautiful space, for your warmth, for the way you both love and admire art and for everything you have shared with me. It’s been such a grounding, enriching experience.

Wishing you both all the love and light for your journey ahead ✨🫶🏼🎨🌀

Hirak Nath