Thursday Morning...

Creativity wasn't my main aim for this break. I was much more looking forward to cycling, running and reading - which i've done in abundance! But this morning, i ventured into the craft of card making, and these were the results...

 

My mum does alot of craft stuff, so the papers, cutters and rubber stamps are all hers - along with some of the ideas! 

Since being back in Wales and having time to just chill out, i've spent ages on Pinterest. Its such a fantastic site. I used it during my last few projects at uni, creating mood boards of inspiration - which then later formed a big part of my sketchbook.

I want to share with you a few of my favourite 'Pins'...

Autumn Textures

Nifty wall printing!

Yellow overcoat

Leaf layers

Eithiopia, incredible colour - i love this scene

Clemence Poesy, i love the simplicity

Natural, simple, bold

Textures, yellow & blue

Simple, beautiful cut

Cut flower fields

Something Fascinating.

Enter, my new gadget - voice recorder. 

Now this was given to me by the Welsh gov, to help me during seminars at uni. Seeing as i barely have one lecture a week, its folders need filling. Now this provides a new way of working, instead of reading a book and taking notes, i can read a book and simply record. So, i tried this the other day, and this post is the outcome. The initial downside is that i got a bit carried away and recorded 19minuets of me talking about 'doubt & faith', so hear is the first few thoughts....

If you've read my previous posts you will know i've been reading a book called "The crowd, The Critic And The Muse" by Michael Gungor. I want to share with you a few points which he makes that really struck me.

• Firstly, the relationship between faith and doubt. 

"I've talked about how the creator needs faith. The creator also needs doubt"

This is relevant to you faith or no faith. For we all have faith in something. If thats in God then your faith shapes what you believe. If you have faith in your Art, then your doubt shapes your final outcome, your refined creation. Gungor says this, 

"Doubt purifies faith" 

Yikes! I LOVE that statement, 'Doubt' a word which previously i saw as negative, is actually used as a positive. A tool to cleanse and refine.

This whole doubt thing, drives us. Gungor mentions good ol' Einstein, what if Einstein never doubted what was already known, there would be no desire to investigate and drive forward. 

So, i have been thinking about how i'm studying Weave. Weave is totally ancient and thousands of people around the world can weave and use it as an income. They've been doing it for generations. 

Now, some people can get swept up in the beauty of this ancient craft - as can i, for a few hours. But thats not gunna drive me forward. When i think about what people have done with weave, i doubt that theres anything else i can add to the world via weave! 

Enter, the questions...

Now Gungor writes, 

"Without doubt, there are no questions; and without questions, there is no imagination."

Now Josie writes,

 "Hmmm INTERESTING!"

Returning back to Weave, yes, i can doubt that theres anything else i can bring technically to the process of weave. But, when i ask the question; Where can Weave take me? The heritage and tradition of weave suddenly opens up, it could take me anywhere in the world! And now my imagination starts rolling. 

So, these are just my first thoughts. I'm quite slow at converting recording to writing, so i'll be back with more.

A few weeks back, Warren took me to The Albany (a creative space in Deptford, East London.) We witnessed an incredible, quite unsettling piece of forum theatre called Glasshouse.

It was written by Kate Tempest who is best known for her spoken word. It was based around three members of a family, mother, daughter and step dad.

The point of the play is to highlight how homelessness comes about - how people end up on the streets and what can be done differently to prevent it.

Enter the 'Forum' aspect.... we saw the same story acted from each perspective. Then asked to turn to our neighbour, and discuss who we believed to be the most vulnerable. The audience concluded it was the daughter. We then had the chance to stop the play when we thought things were going wrong - get up on stage and try to play it differently.

It was incredibly interesting.

What people noted was that with more rational communication and honesty between the family, situations could be transformed and trust was built.

It was performed by a company called Cardboard Citizens, who are made up of people who have been homeless and know what it feels like. Usually they tour around hostels, reaching homeless people directly.

You can read there tour blog hear.

Tidal Wave 

{i love how dramatic this image i took the other day is - you can physically see the separation of clear blue sky being taken over by the heavy cloud. 

When i saw it my body responded with a sense of fear.}

Yesterday i finished Spring term - thats 2 out of 3 done!

It feels mental how quickly its moving. I've really enjoyed it, defiantly harder than last term, but i've enjoyed the projects more, and getting to know people better.

We handed in our Weave project - which i realised was more a reflection of my mental state whilst weaving, than that reflecting my research of crabs. 

21 hours of sitting at a loom over 3 days can kinda mush your brain after a while. 

On the whole i was happy with it, some bits i would of done differently but im more than willing to leave it behind me and move on.   

Word got round yesterday that John Galliano was marking the 2nd yr womenswear work. Now theres two ways which we can leave the weave studios...

a) down the stairs

b) through the fashion studios

We did the latter, but disappointingly only saw his two body guards. 

On a different note...

Warren brought me this book for my birthday. It was written by Michael Gungor from the band 'Gungor'. Its a great book about creating, and although hes a musician its massively broader than just music, and looks at the creative process as a whole. Its hilarious, easy to read and its really inspired me.

This quote is from the chapter "Noise: Fat Kids And Piano Concertos"

"The person who creates from the noise simply adds to the noise. The person who creates from a place of listening, however, can actually make something worthwhile and enjoy his work in the process. Think of a writer who is still in love with words, or a cellist who is still inspired by the sound of a bow across string."

I should have re-read this everyday last week, reminding myself how beautiful and simple the act of weaving is. I find it amazing how we didn't use electricity, it was all man power - and i certainly have bigger arms for it now! 

{So this post has been in process since Thursday ...I just need to click 'Publish'!}

I had a really great birthday, it was quite different waking up knowing i won't see my family - but my big box of presents and face time softened the blow. 

Theres something quite surreal turning 21 in London, i was on the tube going to college and inside i was revelling in this day, and it being special to me. I wondered to myself whether i would get a reaction from the strangers im sharing 30minuets with if i proclaimed the news of my birthday. 

It also crossed my mind that i was spending the morning at college. And the truth being that if last year somebody had paid for me to do a dyeing workshop at central saint martins for my birthday, id think it was the best present ever! 

My present off Suzie... because not only are they good biscuits. We are treating ourselves to a 21st birthday summer trip to Nice! 

Birthday card off warren.

Onto.. the dying process...

Box of pressies of my family..

I spent my birthday money at Anthropologie, and enjoyed the oversized changing room... 

And finally, some images i love from our visit to the Barbican's rain room last monday...

Its been a really great week, bring on the last two of London! x