Don’t Look Back in Anger

So I’m thinking … all those promises that we made to ourselves last New Year – can we look back and think that we did what we said we would do?

Did you stick to your word ? Did you do things for a little while and then maybe you ‘diversified’ your plans ( I don’t like to say failed!) Did you do anything memorable that wasn’t planned? Did life throw you a big fat snowball in the face that you had to deal with… and despite the odds you’re still here to tell the tale!

Looking back , What did you do in 2012 that was worth saying – “YES, I DID THAT” ?

Well here’s my reflective moment -

  • I said that I’d start doing some interviews with inspiring and creative people for the DappledSky site, I did that!
  • I said I’d do a creative share project – and in February I co-ordinated “Made to Exchange” on DappledSky, which was a challenge in some respects and rewarding in many other ways with international participants.
  • I said that I’d put my own creative plans into action and that I’d put my own creations into a fair or show of some kind. Well – I made some more of my characters, I wrote stories for them and I did some private commissions too. I dabbled in the local Pop-up Emporium, showcasing some of my brooches. Two of my characters were selected by Craftspace and MadeByHandOnline for the brilliant Unit Twelve Craft Open exhibition in November and I also showed my brooches and three figures at two great craft exhibitions locally in November and December. I didn’t sell any characters ( they are expensive) but I enjoyed making them and I’ve had more ideas on how to move them forward into other areas but I’d still like to get them into some galleries.

Here are some faces from DappledSky.com since it started …

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

;

On a more personal level…

  • My husband and I had a wonderful anniversary holiday and I’ll never forget being on the island of Simi, eating gorgeous food, sat next to crystal blue waters. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.
  • I ended one full-time job and started a new part-time job – which came with the challenge of re-learning how you use Windows and other programmes I’d not touched for years.
  • I’ve met lots of new people and made new friends.

Not too bad! … I plan to keep this creative stone rolling for 2013 and see if it can gather some speed. I’ve been asked if I’d like to curate and exhibition and will start to discuss that in the new year. Next year I need to get the house sorted and get the studio room back into action. I want to make more leisure use of our camper van and have lots more fab homegrown holidays in the British summer sunshine …. now that plan might be a little more difficult to orchestrate!

What plans are you hatching for 2013?

Burslem Boys Together Again.

The opening night of the Burslem Boys exhibition went really well. It was so busy, I need a second visit to really take things in and appreciate the work, the artefacts and read the letters that the three young men sent to each other during the war years!

It was lovely to chat with John Shelton’s wife –  it was purely by chance as we were admiring the work. And then it was also great to catch up with Helen, Norman Cope’s niece, and Mark Finney who made this all happen. I also spotted a few local artists in there too soaking up the atmosphere and watching the projections on the outside walls.

Arthur Berry, John Shelton and Norman Cope are back together again, and I’m sure they would be thrilled. Because it’s the first exhibition of Norman Cope’s work since his untimely death in 1943, it makes the whole experience even more special.

If you weren’t able to make it, the public showing is going on right now… from 20-27 October 2012 so there’s still plenty of time over half-term. The event is at Barewall, Burslem: http://www.barewall.co.uk