When I started this new body of work I had a firm idea where I was heading - lots of small pieces which were the chorus line for a group of the main stars - some larger domed pieces. I want those to be the Angels who all represent something and embody a feeling or trait. Well, its coming up to the second week in March, and my Angels are still assembled bare bones in my workshop, but the Army of Joys just grows and grows.
It's been a good project for that in a positive way. Each day to try and pinpoint what has been a highlight but without it seeming contrived or trite. So far I have had:
Joy of Company
Joy of Growing Stuff
Joy of Knowing Someone Special
The Joy of Daring to be Different
Joy of Recreational Blooms
Joy of More
Joy of Being Lost in Thought
Joy of Shadows
Joy of Patterns
Joy of Collecting Random Treasures
Joy of Making Mistakes and Laughing at Myself
Joy of Power Tools
Joy of Missing Something And Then Finding it Again
Joy of Curves
Joy of Relief When You Have Finished a Yucky Job
Joy of Surprise
Joy of Rediscovery
Joy of Unexpected Friends
Joy of That Friday Feeling
Joy of Mantras for a Better Life - Don't Drill Near Feathers
The Joy When Something Clicks
Joy of a Photoshoot
Joy of Beautiful Bottoms
Joy of Happenstance
Joy of Dancing
Joy of Keepsakes
Joy of Girlfriends
Joy of being Beautifully Unconventional
Joy of Inspirational People
Joy of the Smell of Spring
I've also been sent others to add in - please feel free to send in your own Joys, I'd love to hear from you what makes your heart sing.
Almost everyday this week in particular, I have had a fleeting thought of crikey - what can I pin my hat on today? But something always appears. I think todays will be the Smell of Spring. I just popped out to my workshop, and although it's flipping cold, there's an air of growth outside. The sun is there trying to shine through, our rabbit Pan (Pantalimon from His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman) is hopping around happily, and the bulbs seem to shoot up a little everyday, I love it.
So how to embody the Smell of Spring? This week I completed a small group of wall pendants so it has to be one of those I think. Sometimes it's so easy to fall into a commercial black hole of trying to anticipate what customers will want, what should I do next? Whereas what works best is always Making for ME (ooh, this could be another joy!) I've had these 10 or so little cameo and photo filled glazed discs in my studio for ages, waiting for a purpose. So this week I've just made for me - really I should be working on more animals, but if I just focus on those I become too production line-esque and the creativity and spontaneity of my pieces becomes flat and predictable. Really with each piece I want to know it has that unconventional factor, a question of why I have assembled it in that way – but that I know it works.
I really need to get as much created as possible for the Digital Craft Festival at the end of the month – that’s where the first Joys will be available. I’ve had one session with the photographer and I’ve got one more booked in for a couple of week’s time. He just sees things I don’t and presents my work in a far more objective way than I can myself and I love his vision – not to mention his technical know how! Going to his studio always feels glamorous and exciting, I think it’s because I know Paul will work his magic, and I can just sit back and see the results.
The photographs of the Joys need to be able to show visitors to my website or Instagram all they can about the piece, particularity for a selling event like he has done here with the penguin piece - A Collective Joy of Dancing Penguins.
So I will be working on more animals now I’ve had a little break from them. I will add some to my website on the Friday 26th March and again on the Saturday 27th , and subscribers to my website will get a heads up of when they will be added first. Following this event, it will definitely be time to start on those Angels.
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