Questioning time as we make clocks

One thing I often find myself saying to students is: if you’re feeling out of control, it’s probably because you’re going too fast. Time itself is beyond our control, but our experience of it is not. Clay reminds us of this again and again... to slow down, to wait, to listen. To let things be in their own rhythm.

We kicked off the term with our first Wonder Walls demo this week, and what better way to start than by making time itself? Each class gathered around for a clock making session, exploring two different approaches: hand building and wheel throwing.

For the hand builders, we slowed things down (appropriately) to talk about what it means to make something flat — the secret trickiness of wide, even surfaces that like to warp or crack if rushed. Students were shown how to build their clocks with intention, thinking about thickness, support and texture.

On the wheels, the teachers demonstrated how to throw a small plate, essentially the foundation for a wheel thrown clock face. The process began with throwing a clay bat first, giving everyone a sturdy surface to work from. From there, it was all about steady hands, centered thoughts and a clear vision for where the numbers will one day live.

Lately, though, I’ve been thinking about time a lot — and how it feels like it’s speeding up. Everyone I’ve spoken to recently has said the same thing: what even is time anymore? Maybe it’s the toddlers running loops around me, maybe it’s the business growing, or maybe it’s that we’re all trying to keep pace with AI. Whatever it is, it feels fast.

There’s something grounding about a room full of people shaping their own clocks — their own relationship with time — from the slowest material we know.

The Wonder Walls term is off to a beautiful start. Here’s to making space, and time, for what really matters.