Guest of Honor: Clay Food and Filling Our Buckets with Rebecca Ackermann
It was the tiny images of exquisite clay food, sprawling across a full page of the New York Times that caught my attention. But what I found was the story of how this clay-chef found her way to sculpting. It was a story that spoke to mental wellness in a world where we are told what self care looks like in a one-size fits all fashion, and a time where we are desperately craving reprieve, that lead me to reach out to Rebecca Ackermann. In this week’s episode, we’ll about Rebecca’s clay creations, filling our buckets, and why all of these topics matter so very much.
A creative, mother, designer in the tech space, and human living in 2020, Rebecca was seeking some ways to take care of herself. As many of us did, myself included, she found herself in the kitchen. Images of sweet home baked bread and immaculate dishes flooded all of us with a type of calm, a way to give ourselves a hug, that we were so desperately needing. But the kitchen was never the place that felt like home to Rebecca.
Some of us love to clean while others despise it. One person may come alive on their morning runs while someone else may have their entire body hurt just thinking of it. What brings some of us a sense of calm, joy, or that over-used word self-care, might do the exact opposite for others. So though we’ve seen a lot of people huddling in the kitchen, a one-size fits all prescription for a fresh baked loaf would be incorrect. Yet that doesn’t meant that what the kitchen and these sweet dishes symbolize can’t be found in other ways.
Through an activity with her daughter, (Note: not trying what we see everyone else doing for self care), Rebecca felt the ease that creating can have on the mind of a creator. So night after night, she’s been carving out time to make her creations. And beyond connecting with herself during this time, she’s connected with others around the plate too. Inspired by chefs expressing their love of food, Rebecca used her comfort in clay to create the same dish.
I can’t get over how wonderful her pop tarts were for our conversation! Check them out along with other creations on Instagram.
In our discussion, we also share how important it is to find time to fill our own buckets. While it is most certainly a privilege, especially in our current days, to find a few moments to care for yourself, it somehow can be something that is so easily set aside. Whether for prioritizing something else, or even the look of being selfish, self care is often forgotten. For Rebecca, her art of clay has become non-negotiable. She knows that she can best show up for the many different roles she holds, for her family, for herself, when she takes those sweet moments to create.
We hope today’s episode, whether clay, cooking, or something far different, will introduce you to finding the thing that fills your own unique bucket. And why it is so worth it to do so.
Listen to the episode below or via one of the links provided, and don’t miss following Rebecca and all of her dishes on Instagram !
If you’d like to follow along outside of the blog, it is also available on Apple Podcasts, Anchor, Spotify, and other sources.
Recipe:
Pop-tarts (big and small)
Rebecca recommended this pop tart recipe from Foodie in New York! In line with filling our unique buckets, I took to the kitchen, while Rebecca picked up her clay. Can’t recommend following Foodie in New York enough!
Take Home Tip:
This week, make an emphasis on being gentle with yourself. Take a breath, as you remove some of the pressures that we place on finding “our thing”. And as you go through your week, be mindful of the little moments that feel good. I deep cleaned my bathroom this week and it is surprisingly bringing me so much joy. And as always, the kitchen feels like home. What are those moments that fill up your energy and joy? How can you make more time for them? Consider how you can both release the pressure and expectations around self-care, while being intentional with finding time to take care of you.