Ohio neighbor Nancy Nearing displays these four small artworks in a local gallery’s “Small Works” show for the holidays. We covered the start of this project as a work-in-progress in August.

What is remarkable is that Nancy’s new spurt of creativity comes after a tough year of grief and change.

“Nine months, ten trips, three clay retreats, and one class later, I’m starting to rediscover the joy of creating new pieces and series,” Nancy says in her blog post.

Going through a slow period, dreading the holidays, facing a crisis? Nancy shows us how creativity can disappear or remain dormant and then come back full throttle.