Urth Clay Studio

When Zein Akkad moved to Australia from Syria seven years ago, she started pottery classes and it changed her life for the better. The conflict in her home country had taken a toll on her mental health. But pottery gave her a creative outlet and helped to focus and calm her mind.

She found this art form so engaging and addictive that she learnt as much as possible about it, experimenting with different techniques such as slab building, wheel throwing, Japanese form pressing and kirinuki.

Gradually, she started to feel much better. ‘I noticed how positive my feelings were when working with clay,’ says Zein. She believes this is because the touch and feel of this medium is beneficial on many levels. And recent studies in neuroscience support this, showing that sensory activities, such as moulding clay, can be soothing to the nervous system and had help people recover from trauma.

In fact, she began her largest sculpture one night because she was feeling anxious and overwhelmed. With English as her third language, it can be difficult to articulate her feelings through talking. Zein explains, ‘the easiest way to express myself and relieve stress is to dig my hands in clay.’

So, she stacked up eight bags of clay and started making a 1-metre sculpture. Using the kirinuki technique, she carved the outside to get the desired shape, then cut the sculpture in half and hollowed out the inside. The sculpture was raw glazed with a spray gun, then fired 4 times at different temperatures (see technical notes for details).

People comment that the finished sculpture looks a bit like coral. But to Zein the bumpy patterns reflect the folds and creases of the brain and the vertical lines remind her of veins. All together, the sculpture represents the brain, body and nervous system working in harmony to create a state of wellbeing. It’s a symbol of inner balance on all levels : mental, physical and emotional.

Having witnessed the therapeutic effects of clay on herself and others, she also ‘wanted to help the local community.’ So with a grant for ‘art and mental health’, she started Urth Clay Studio, teaching mindfulness pottery classes to adults and children. And today, over 400 people a month attend the sessions.

Now, seven years after finding a new home in Australia, Zein is using her passion for ceramics to give back to the community. With her enthusiasm for pottery and positive mental health, the classes boost the creativity and wellbeing of everyone that comes to Urth Clay Studio.