On May 17, 2014, Megan’s husband was killed in an accident. “It was sudden and unexpected,” Megan shared. In an act of care, a group of Megan’s friends invited her to the Newberry Arts Center in July for her first Paint and Pour Party. “We had a nice time, snacking and laughing at our lack of talent,” she remembers. It was here that Megan first learned about a new pottery studio we would be opening.
Megan was working two part-time jobs. She was also working through the realities of being a single parent while dealing with her grief and the grief of her children. In October, Megan’s cousin called her and invited her to a pottery class starting the next day. She had just given notice at one job to relieve some of the stress in her life and decided to join her cousin and do something fun for herself.
“The class started with hand building, and I met some cool people,” Megan shared. “I also learned new things. I couldn’t wait to go to each new class and experience the excitement of seeing the kiln open.” During this time, Megan and her children were also in grief counseling. “The pottery was better therapy for me than grief counseling, especially the wheel. To get in there, in the mud, up to my elbows – it took all my concentration to form that clay into a shape and I could forget everything else.”
“I really do feel like art helps to heal people,” Megan said. Megan began to give her own pottery pieces to other new widows. She delivered each piece with a little devotional and a note saying, “Pottery helped me heal.”
During this Season of Light, we invite you to consider a generous gift to CREATE Newberry that will increase our capacity to create rewarding experiences through art training and education. Experiences that provide a safe and healing community for children, teens, and adults. Thank you for partnering with us in this way.
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