Mid-term reflections from Kinga

It’s been 4 months since I came to Heidelberg to start my journey at Werkstattschule. At first, I was very uncertain about fitting in, being able to contribute to the team. Everything was either new or unfamiliar to me. I wasn’t confident in my drawing or my creative resources. My wood carving skills were nonexistent and working with children and youngsters seemed overwhelming. All the challenges seemed to be impossible. 

But here I am a few months later with experiences I wouldn’t exchange for anything else. If only I knew at that time what kind of a team I’ll be working with… It all wouldn’t have bothered me even a bit.

Earlier this year, I got the flu, so I had time to reflect. The more I remembered, the more I started to detect its impact on myself. Once scared of trying new things, I now crave new experiences - be it digital drawing, wall painting, wood carving (even in 3D!), stone carving, crocheting, making stamps, theatre training, clay sculpting, concrete sculpting, metal cutting, and welding. You name it and I want to try it. So what caused this potential awakening? Or rather who - that’s the real question. 

I don’t have a clear answer, but I know for sure that people I work with have had a big influence on that. All of them welcomed me in the team very warmly. Each of them played a slightly different role, but everyone contributed something important to my experience at Werkstattschule. They support me and cheer for me throughout my whole journey here. But I think it’s their passion and determination that make them not only fun to work with but also great role models from whom I can learn. 

I will give you a few instances. 

When I had a week off, I spent it in the workroom doing some personal assignments. At the same time Heiko was preparing for a project. He was trying out a new material that he had never worked with before. I saw him cutting the edges with different tools, sanding the surface with distinct methods, even building a model for that little object to fit in so he could cut holes in it in specific spots. He was determined because the students wanted to have a nice scoreboard for their football field. 

Another week I had a project with Christoph and Jörg. The plan for that project was crazy, if you ask me. When Christoph first showed me the design I became speechless. Angel’s wings with a halo as a backrest? I honestly thought that’s impossible. But Christoph gave it a chance. He cut wooden pieces in some strange angles and shapes, glued thin wood boards together, and even got a quick lesson on how to use a strange machine to cut a circle. The results? Outstanding! Even the original idea giver said it’s better than he imagined. It was truly impressive.

I also had an opportunity to be a part of a theatre project. On our way to the school Jakob shared that the students can choose between tragedy and comedy. The first one being relatively easy to perform and the second one being a bit more challenging because of comedic timing. They were young people with no experiences with theatre, but they liked the comedy story better. Jakob, even though a bit worried because of the lack of time, took the lead in managing everything, from the scenario and costumes to acting and voice training - all that with exceptional energy. I couldn’t finish the project with them, but I can tell that participants had so much fun and the outcome was satisfying.

If answering my silly questions over and over again was an Olympic discipline, Christian would have led Germany to victory. He probably knows what I want to ask even before I open my mouth, but he still patiently waits for me to finish my question. He always shows me where a tool has its place in the workroom, how to use that specific dangerous-looking machine, or how this funny thing is called in German. 

From Paul I learned that there is not much to worry about, cause everything will eventually find its place. That people make mistakes and that’s not the end of the world, cause mistakes are just… mistakes. Next time I will know how it works and will do it right, hopefully. He also made me realize that one doesn’t have to be good at drawing to excel at woodcarving, stone carving etc.

The person who believes in me, probably more than I do myself, is definitely Anna. She is always there to support my vision and encourages me to find my true self. Even though we still didn’t work together, she gave me so much helpful advice concerning my other projects’ designs or even my sidelines. What I appreciate the most is that she sees my sensitive side as an advantage in the art world.

One week was really special to me. It was when I got to join Talentwerk activities and help the participants with their project. Jojo is the boss there and he is the coolest. His energy is contagious and his calmness is soothing. If you told me a year ago that one day I would weld metal, I’d laugh in your face. But with the super guidance of Jojo I actually did that. I can’t lie - it was scary at first, but Jojo’s presence and trust in me were so reassuring that I feared it no more. 

Unfortunately, I haven't worked with everyone in the team yet. These are just a couple of examples of how people at Werkstattschule help me grow not only in handcrafts but also as a person. Even just looking at the team’s dedication makes me learn so much. Moreover, they keep showing me possibilities I have in myself and support me in discovering them. Thanks to my colleagues, I know I can contribute to the team during projects.

I can’t wait to see what the rest of my stay here will look like. I still have a few months to fill with learning experience as well as with fun.