My daughter has always been slightly obsessed with aliens. One day when we were goofing around drawing, I asked her what kinds of ceramics different aliens would need.

See for all of human history, ceramics has been associated with the human body. A bowl is simply the shape of two hands cupped together. We name the parts of our ceramics words evoking the human shape, like the 'belly', 'foot', and 'lip' of a jar or vase.

What if aliens needed to hold their cups with different-shaped hands (fingers or tentacles!) What is they had four tiny lips, three bellies, five feet?

We had fun drawing different aliens and the kinds of eating and drinking vessels that they would need. A great afternoon!

I was inspired then to make a very tall slim pitcher for an alien with large hands and a teeny-tiny mouth (I still have that one!).

I think of that afternoon often, especially when I need a creative kick. I think of the connection between pottery and humanity, really from the beginning of human history. How connected our pots are to our sense of touch and feel, our very limbs and features, our very human senses.

And I look up at the stars and I wonder.