Studio time with stones

 I  have managed to spend a few days in the studio this week - first up needing to unpack, sort, store and inventory things on return from Scotland. Secondly to try and get the mustiness out of it and undertake the odd search and desetroy mission to discover where any mould had started to grow given the amazing amount of water we've had. And thirdly to simply soak in making which has been grand.

A couple of quick statistics on the rain.

We have been back in Maleny for a week. During the week we have had 577mm of rain. That is 57cm, over half a metre of water. In 7 days. Our monthly average is 114mm, so we have managed 5 x the monthly average in just a week. No wonder we feel wet and damp. Today tho - the sun shone!

I had brought three cove stones back with me (maybe between 4 and 6 cm long), with thoughts of lettering in my head. Stones and pebbles and rocks are such a deep part of our home in Scotland; pebble beaches, rocks every time we dig, stones for carving...

They are lovely stones, and I wanted to trial some Letraset on them. But I had to work out why they needed words on them...what was the purpose of adding words? 

I thought about how I feel about the stones, and how I love having one in my pocket to roll around between my fingers. I thought about their quiet and calm presence on a desk. I thought about how much I love just looking at them. What would I say?

It came to me, that the stones act as memory keepers and reminders. They can settle and calm you. Strangely enough they feel supportive and caring. Friendly even.

I jotted down my thoughts and went to work.

I chose the darkest one first, figuring I could hide errors in it more safely than with the creamy one.

I moved onto the cream one and it had flecks of dazzling quartz in it I think, which may have made it harder to adhere to. I love how each stone has its own nature as well, and will work with you, or be a bit more independent.

And the final stone was the mid-light grey one.

I haven't quite got the name for this work yet, what they are or mean as a collective, but I know they feel right.

I deliberately chose to work on the underneath side (as I considered it) so that the stone could sit beside you, and your private thoughts would be there, but not on display for the wider world to see. 

The strength and support of the stone alongside you was just there when you needed it.

Of course you could show the words; or you could carry the stone in your pocket. You could rub the words like a worry stone, or you could bury it in the garden, or amongst plenty of other stones.

Quiet, companionable, caring stones.