Looking back at 2020 – a compassionate and meaningful review
The year review is the densest part of this process because I will go through the entire previous year with a fine tooth comb. When I first started doing this I used to only go through my work diary, noting all the meetings, client sessions, teaching, workshops, travel etc that I might have done. And […]
Reflect to reconnect
In my last post I shared the process I go through each new year, as I assess how the previous year has gone and prepare for the new one ahead. It’s only recently that I realised that it has 3 distinct phases – reflection, review & planning. For a long time I only did the […]
What does kindness mean to you?
First I must thank Instagram for, yet again, providing me with a starting point for today’s daily blog. I had a busy work day yesterday so didn’t get round to writing, and it’s amazing how quickly the inertia sets in. I was ready to write off today as well, but then I noticed quite a […]
Black Lives Matter and my path to intentional working in the Craft sector
Every month I wrestle with words, trying to articulate things in my head and my heart, to share with you. A reaching out, a need for connection and the start of a conversation. This month it’s been harder for me to know where to begin, but I trust in this relationship we have been building […]
Sometimes we need reminding…
Having started up the blog again, at a really busy time of year, I find myself on ‘blog day’ with barely enough time to eat lunch, let alone write a post. So, friends, I’m going to dial it in today and leave you in the capable hands of another Stoic – Seneca.
I’ve been reading Seneca’s ‘Letters from a Stoic’ recently. I’m sorry to say that his words don’t quite hit the mark for me in the same way that Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations do. But I think that’s possibly because Seneca had his eye on eternal glory, he knew (or at least hoped) that his letters were for a wider audience, that his words might survive beyond himself. Marcus Aurelius wrote only for himself and as such I feel his words ring true, are not so thought out or, dare I say it?, slightly pompous. Sorry, Seneca. But, there are some gems, and here are my favourites so far:
New growth – little shoots
Tomorrow is my last day teaching 3rd year students at Nottingham Trent University. We’ve been working towards building their confidence in communicating about their work, especially in written form. We’ve been thinking about the essentials of communication – understanding your values, your audience, the context of your work – and we’ve delved into the wonderful world of words and how great writing stems from finding good descriptive, emotive and sensory language. Now it’s time to start writing their Artist’s Statements. I’m confident it will go well; we’ve been having some good conversations. What I love about this part is that here I can see the seeds being sown, things that still need a bit of time to mature, but which will eventually emerge, as they do, into the world at their Degree Shows.
As I told them in the first session – one of my core values in my work is Learning & Growth. If I’m not learning and growing (or helping other people to learn and grow, in whatever way they need) then why am I doing it?
It’s something that’s easy to forget when there’s a lot on – the things that are fundamental to our work, the reasons we do it. When I get busy the first thing to disappear is my awareness of the big picture. I become obsessed with detail and tasks. I forget the broad strokes of my work. This week, with the lengthening days and the signs of spring everywhere I look out in the world, I realised that I’ve got my own signs of spring happening inside me, within my work, even if it feels like things are still a bit barren.
Rethinking the To Do list
I’m returning to this space after a bit of a break. I’m not entirely sure I feel ready, but I think it’s right to come back and start again when there are new buds on the trees and flowers starting to bloom in gardens. Writing regularly, and sharing my ideas on creativity with a wider audience, is important to me and I’ve missed it during the winter months. But, adding something back into my schedule feels like hard work. I’ve gotten used to having the extra time each week for other things (and there are so many other things!) that trying to earmark a short space for this has me questioning whether it’s time I can afford. This activity needs to move from the category ‘things I rarely do’ to ‘things I always do’ – a space that is much easier to deal with.
The issue seems to be how I view the work I currently need to do. I’m at the beginning of a long project that will last until the end of June. It’s challenging work and I feel like I am always on the verge of being overwhelmed, there are so many things to hold in my head. I’ve been keeping a reflective journal of the process, to learn as I go, and I’ve already realised that managing a project – that involves six other artists, two venues, five partner organisations, an ambitious events programme and is publicly funded – by one’s self may not have been such a sensible plan. It’s all do-able, but it would be lovely to have someone to share things with, an extra pair of eyes on the details and the overview. When I start to struggle it’s all on me. I’m sure you know exactly how I feel. Most creative work, for freelancers or self-employed artists/makers/designers, lives in the mind of only one person, and no one else has the full picture. Sharing that, explaining that, not feeling guilty by it is often hard to do.
So right now I’m interested in ways to manage my work load and time so that I don’t have too many days of feeling twisty in my tummy or evenings spent feeling like I should be doing more
The Creative Return – Values
Every year I think to myself how odd it is that summer shifts into autumn so quickly, how September often feels a bit sudden. When it really isn’t that strange at all – we are all products of the relentless academic timetable of Back to School in September that long after we are freed of it, the rhythm has become ingrained. So, whether you are still part of that academic world (either as a student yourself or through your own children) or whether you are now part of the bigger world of work, this time of year is undeniably a time for feeling like we should let go of the freedom of summer and ‘get back’ to something. The French call this time of year La Rentrée – the return – and it affects everyone, not just workers and students. I like to think of this time of year as the Creative Return – where we can harness this feeling of beginning, to look forward to the rest of the year and prepare, to be ready to meet whatever opportunities or challenges we may come to.
This month, on the blog, I’ll be taking the theme of the Creative Return to focus on 4 elements: Values, the Big Picture, Reflection and Looking Forwards with the aim of helping you remind yourself of your Why, to feel inspired about your work, to reflect on past successes and to set a course ahead. I’ll be asking you questions that get to the heart of each element and offering places you can gain additional inspiration or chances for reflection. So, let’s begin, with Values:
The importance of WHY to your practice
This time of year isn’t just good for making resolutions and setting goals; it’s a really good opportunity to reflect on what’s been happening and what lies ahead. At the start of the year I encourage everyone I know to do a bit of a Creative Practice MOT and see where they’re at with the creative side of their work. There are lots of people out there offering you fantastic advice to kickstart your business in 2018 but, I suspect, fewer people asking you why you do what you do, and what it’s all about. I’d like you to challenge yourself a bit. It’s so easy for makers and other creatives who produce tangible things like objects to focus on the HOW of their work, but in this post I’d like to talk about the importance of WHY to your practice.