Sketches and Snippets *25th October*

Trust the Process

Tabletop arrangement - work in progress plus sketchbooks and shell.

Been going round in circles this week. My plan to make 12 items for the next shop update (Fri 29th) seemed straightforward enough but my brain apparently wanted to complicate matters for me. Instead of deciding what to make and then, you know, making it, I’ve been hopping from one idea to the next, full of enthusiasm but coming to a complete standstill when the merest hint of an obstacle got in the way. I spent ages hand sawing shapes from cork to make creel-shaped brooches but then didn’t have a suitable sealant and when I calculated the time involved soon realised they wouldn’t be viable anyway, so decided to give up on that idea…or at least shelve it for now. So frustrating.

While I’m working away I’m usually buzzing with new ideas and full of questions about the thing I’m making - What materials to use? What colour? What size? How long will it take to make? How to package it? How to do the photos? Is it any good? Do I like it? Will anyone buy this? What should I call it? Can I get it done in time? etc, etc, etc! Sometimes that’s exhausting, especially when progress is slow…as it was last week. By Wednesday I’d reached full-blown everything I do goes wrong mindset. Aaarrg!

What I really needed was some time out to fill my head with other sights and sounds, so on Thursday I jumped on a bus to Edinburgh, walked around for miles, visited almost every charity shop in Newington, then searched the art shops until I found the spray varnish I needed - success! Wandered back through the Meadows taking it all in, admiring the trees in the bright autumn sunshine, tired but contented with life. Stopped briefly to look up at the windows of the first student flat I stayed in when I moved to Edinburgh aged 19 - my bedroom looked straight out onto that beautiful green space, right in the heart of the city. Every day I walked to and from college across The Meadows but I hardly even noticed the trees - there were different things on my mind then.

Guess what? On Friday everything made more sense. I knew what I wanted to make and was clearer about how to do it. The varnish worked a treat too. Time spent actively not thinking about whatever you’re working on is actually vital to the creative process - don’t you have your best ideas in the shower or walking the dog? It’s so easy to forget that when you’re desperate to crack on and get stuff done. And, (note to self) it doesn’t mean you will never be able to make anything ever again because it doesn’t go right the first, second or even third time…it takes as long as it takes - trust the process!

What a relief when I actually finished something! This was started last year - a little harbour-inspired assemblage of plywood, pistachio shells and an orange wooden bead. I sanded back the painted surfaces to reveal the glorious peeling paint effect, and by adding some blue waxed cotton cord it’s become a unique pendant - something I would enjoy wearing myself!

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Thanks for reading!

Until next week, it’s bye for now,

Julia