The C word.....

Yak:
I am writing this post, sitting in the sun, in John's garden (possibly my favourite print) after a walk on the coast with not a care in the world.....well, I say not a care but that's a bit of a fib.  As a over-thinker I always have something brewing, and at the moment its Christmas.  Yes Christmas.  I think any creative has a peak selling time of year and mine is definitely the Christmas period, from October onward. 

John's Garden Lino print (c) E Pinnock 

Shows have already been applied for, accepted on and payments paid, what I have to do now is think of where will my work be at that time.  What new or existing products I will have, how will they suit the shows I am taking part in, is there little one off pieces I'd like to do, what can I do to prepare? Will my to do list ever be finished? (answer:no, it gets longer and multiplies)

You may have read in earlier posts how this year was supposed to be about balance, part of having balance was to have Christmas sorted before the summer.  While I have managed to do some of the things I had planned there is still a lot outstanding.  Being creative and thinking creatively is something that I find hard to switch off.  When I sit and read a book I think well I could be drawing out a design, when I try to learn a new skill it becomes more about how I can use it in my work then just about enjoying the process.  There are times when my creatively flows and other times when it just doesn't. Life gets in the way, other work has to come first or I am just not in the mood.  It's not quite stars aligning but it can sometimes feel like that when I have the time and space to working on something.  Being by any beach helps me process my thoughts and re-engage with whats important.  Taking a step back, we switch off our phones but how often do we switch off ourselves? 

Seaburn beach, Sunderland

Babble, aka Jess is currently on holiday in Italy, I am jealous even though I was lucky enough to spend some time in Rome earlier on in the year.  If you follow her online then you will have seen some lovely little sketchbook pages.  It's so good to take yourself away from your everyday work and setting and just see what happens.  Some of the art pieces created might follow a thread already explored, some will lead to new work and some might just be an escape from the norm.  Making art purely for the pleasure of the making is a beautiful thing.  The weight is lifted and generally (in my experience) the work is better for it.  

Rome: Santa Maria Maddalena (Chiesa di santa maria Maddalena)


I will be heading to one of my favourite places, Cornwall and then onto Somerset.  There is no doubt I will be inspired and I can't wait to feel refreshed and ready to face the up and coming busy festive season. 

Dates for your diary! (more to be confirmed)

Emma: YAK
October -Manchester Folk Festival-candle-shade making workshop 20th October at Manchester Art Gallery -book tickets Here
November-Art fest Holmfirth civic hall Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th
December- Edinburgh Christmas Fair assembly rooms George St 7th and 8th

Jess: BABBLE
September 27th-29th St Gabriel's Art Festival
November Open studios 16th-17th Hearth Arts Centre Horsley
November 30th Etsy made local Newcastle 


Whitley Bay -Spanish City (c) Jessica Kinnserley

Making time for yourself whether it is a holiday, tea in restaurant on your own or an hour with a good book, it does so much good to switch off and take stock.  So whatever you have planned I hope you enjoy it, and if you haven't, then make a bit of time for yourself to reflect over the last 8 months or so.  Time goes so quickly, and while a cliche it's really good to stop and smell the Rose's. 

Yak:Emma

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Christmas shopping guide

Image
Lets talk Christmas shopping :)  There are those of us who have everything organised, bought, wrapped and under the tree in March (it seems) and those who (like us) have lots of good intentions...yet have no actual presents yet.  Too late for bespoke?  Not quite!  Here are a few of our favourite makers that we'd like to recommend! Yak-Emma Christmas is always a hectic time for me, I work up until the 20/21st normally and then think...oh yeah presents?! I’m lucky in that my work takes me to selling events where I can meet makers, handle items and appreciate the whole story to a shop. We have put together a little guide of shops we’re following and have pieces on our wish list.  There might be something here that fills that place of a last minute gift for your parents, a friend or your gran. I don’t buy independently for everyone, but buying one or two pieces really helps people make a living out of something they love, while also giving the gift of something unique is a
Read more

How do you measure achievement?

Image
Yak:Emma  February, ah the month of love, pancake day and my birthday! (my brother's as well but as he doesn’t write this, I am not sure it should really be mentioned…) If you’re anything like me, then you are probably not feeling the love, worrying about the calories and aghast that the year has gone so quickly.   When I say year, I do wonder where the last 16 years have gone. Way back in 2004 I graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a 1 st class hons degree, world was my oyster and I genuinely thought that by the time I was my age now, I would have achieved so much.   Charcoal drawing circa 2004-hanging fabric E Pinnock  To unpick that a bit I should say what I mean by achieving.   The d efinition is, 'to successfully bring about or reach (a desired objective or result) by effort, skill or courage'    On reading this I can already see that it doesn’t mention anything I measure my own achievements by; a high-flying career, being a home owner, b
Read more

Sorry, its been a while.....

Image
Yak:Emma Hello! firstly I just want to apologise to you for neither of us being in touch this year and we are already nearing the end of April...I'd say where does the time go, but its dragged, its really dragged and honestly I think that we have both just struggled to get motivated.  Life has got in the way but we have still been working away behind the scenes.  I hope that you're doing ok and with vaccines and roadmaps we might be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  New postcard designs to send out with orders January and February were mostly taken up with an arts council career development grant application.  Both myself and Jess applied and we are waiting to hear back.  I don't really want to talk too much about it as we spoke today and agreed that if we think about it too much, or speak about it, then it will never happen for us?! It sounds pretty superstitious doesn't it? It was a lot of work, and a lot of going back and forth and I think we both just
Read more