Strings & Incense: Finding Peace in My Violin Practice
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Melody in Clay: How 14 Years of Violin Love Were Fired into an Incense Hook
From a young age, influenced by my parents, I developed a deep-rooted love for the violin. For fourteen years, I immersed myself in its world, participating in countless competitions and performances. People often assume that violinists possess naturally calm personalities, but I was the exception—I was an incredibly impatient person. However, the violin became my sanctuary. Every time I drew the bow across the strings, the vibrant resonance had a healing effect, grounding my restless spirit in a way nothing else could.
When I reached university, my violin was my most prized possession in my suitcase. I immediately joined the music club and eventually rose to become its president. My past competitive experience gave me the confidence to lead and perform on grand stages. However, my university journey took an unexpected turn during a joint activity with the pottery club. What started as a simple collaboration became a new passion. I became fascinated by how raw clay could be transformed through heat and patience into beautiful, permanent art. For two years, I pestered the pottery club president for lessons, slowly mastering the delicate balance of the spinning wheel.
As graduation approached, the bittersweet reality of leaving university set in. After our final club performance, standing backstage with tears in my eyes, I felt a desperate need to preserve these memories. I wanted to merge the flowing melodies of my past with the solid permanence of my present. This inspiration led to the creation of my final masterpiece: a handcrafted ceramic incense hook.
I designed the hook’s silhouette to mimic the elegant, flowing curves of a violin’s scroll. The firing process was an exercise in the very patience I once lacked. Now, when I use this hook to hang my incense burner, the rising smoke mirrors the ethereal nature of music, while the ceramic remains firm and steady. This hook is more than a tool; it is a bridge between my fourteen years of music and my newfound craft. It serves as a reminder that while my university days have ended, the harmony between the violin and the clay will stay with me forever.
