Thursday Thoughts...

“If we doubted our fears instead of doubting our dreams, imagine how much in life we’d accomplish.” 

Joel Brown

Occasionally I come across quotes that appear quite deep and require me to read them a few times before I can even work out what I think they might mean. Others I read and go - oh yes, that's a really simple truth! This one feels like one of those, not trite or twee I hope, just a simple question with an interesting, and maybe challenging at times, premise.

Sure enough it's a motivational quote, from an entrepreneurial coach, but I think there is a nice ring of truth to it. I thought about how often I doubt my dreams and my hopes; and it is kind of often enough. I then thought how often I doubt my fears, and realised that it takes a lot more to convince me that my fears are unfounded; than it does to convince that my dreams are realistic. Interesting.

It made me wonder what doubting a fear might look like, and I think it would involve a series of questions and challenging of myself. Quite the conversation on occasions!

Of course its not always true that you achieve things simply because you back yourself; I think we might attempt more things if we didn't doubt our dreams so much, and therefore yes the chance of achieving things increases because you have in fact attempted it.

So all in all, I think this one gives me a chance to think about the next time I am doubting a dream; to step back and think about doing it anyway; and when feeling a fear, perhaps I  will interrogate it a bit further, and maybe do it anyway.

Gift for stitching

I have completed three of my seven scrolls for a major work for the Scottish exhibition, and it is stitched in a lovely russet colour. Here's the back!

But a few weeks ago I was gifted this timber box from a relative, and whilst I thought it might have some threads in it, I was thrilled to discover so many! 

I think there will be hours of sorting here; but I am glad that so many of them are already grouped in colour ways.

And clearly, there are lots of cards for rolling threads onto and writing down their numbers...

But it was this pair that really caught my eye. I have taken them out and am letting them air; and think the variegated mauve one might be the one to begin stitching the longest scroll with. The variegated russet and green one is also very tempting!

As we head through Autumn and into Winter, I can see my future holds evenings inside, steadily rolling and wrapping and writing...

Farewell to Pebbles, Stones and Rocks

 The last weekend was a rather frantic time with lots of visitors stopping by to look at the showing, to purchase and to talk art and making and creating.  It was fabulous to have so many kind folk take the time to visit and even more wonderful to see their responses; and their enjoyment of the works on show.

I was making jewellery right up until the final days as I replaced many of the pieces that had sold along the way.

And sharing photos of potential pebble pendants with folk after they had purchased some earrings...

Peaceful Pebbles I and II had sold, so I added III and IV to the shop. This was a nice small task to undertake in between visitors!

Today, all four of us were there together and chatting to folk as they collected their work; and as we packed up and took work home with us to deliver...it was nice to share the space together and the stories. 

It absolutely NEVER ceases to amaze how quickly a show comes down; compared to how long it takes to set up!!!

The space is settling back into itself again, with a bit of re-imagining to happen perhaps, and we shall see what happens next.

Now back to preparing for Scotland!

Exhibition walk through

This could be my shortest post ever!

Just in time, and before we close the show on Sunday 12 May, I made a short walk through video for folk who can't get to the exhibition, and here it is...

I hope you enjoy, and forgive the odd stutter and stumble, and that it proves to be a nice way to 'view' it from afar...

Thursday Thoughts...

“Make your mistakes, take your chances, look silly, but keep on going. Don’t freeze up.” 

 Thomas Wolfe

I wondered whether this quote was one for the subject of "Life" or for "Art" and I chose art, simply  because I am pondering that today. I imagine it would offer interesting insights for pondering upon Life as well!

It certainly feels apt to much of my making at times, and also feels of great encouragement to keep on keeping on.

To me, it encourages a bit of risk-taking; a bit of heading off into uncertainty; a bit of making without knowing just where you are headed or what may come of it; and I admire this approach. I think for me these sorts of tests and trials and attempts can end up producing some great learning; as well as sometimes great art. It is also true nevertheless, that some shocking mistakes can also appear and some very ugly and poorly resolved work!

But we learn.

He also exhorts us not to freeze up; not to feel at a standstill because something didn't work out as intended, and once again, with this I concur. Freezing gets us absolutely nowhere, unless we can honestly use the static moments to investigate, explore and analyse what we have to do to make something work, out of something that is looking less than impressive. Freezing tho, does generally speak to inaction and inability to move forward, sideways or even backwards.

It can be hard, but it is good to make mistakes, to take chances and possibly even to look silly in the attempt - because we learn.

Heading off in directions which led nowhere; but maybe one day will lead to the right place.

Bits and pieces, and burning

Another busy week and some great days at the Studio showing the exhibition to wonderful people who enjoyed the show, and looking around the studio space with all its lovely bits and pieces.

Here are some compilations of Susan's, Tory's and Steph's work which I was using to promote the show.

In between times I managed a few creative things, bits of this and that, and started to pursue  an idea about a piece for Scotland. It involved burning, so unfortunately the studio did smell a bit of incense on one day so I stopped doing it whilst folk might be coming in.

First up I wanted to see if I could singe a piece of cord/thread. I did pretty well, but it did burn through in a few places, so here it is knotted together.

A selection of burnt papers follows - it's always good to work out which ones will go whoosh! and which ones are more of a slow burn...

And this maybe is a video of me first testing how to burn the thread/cord - a bit of an unplanned and spontaneous idea which had the odd moment or two...

And if that didn't work; then here is link to the YouTube version...

Whilst this final image pretty well sums up the weather again this week - wet, wet, wet.

Thursday thoughts...

"You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, who had ever been alive." 

 James Baldwin

I am pretty sure I could create a bunch of slogans about books, based on this quote. I am imagining a 

t-shirt with 

"You're never alone with a book"

"Books - the original internet"

"Books - keeping people connected for centuries"

"Books - the greatest empathy teacher around"

Books have always helped me identify with others - those who were like me; and those who were different to me. They have always helped me understand and realise the many ways people make their way through the world; and have always helped not feel alone or odd or other.

Reading helps us understand the world and its people in so many ways.

Australia from space, ASPI 2018.