Babble + Yak

Hello!  I n May myself and Jess took part in the Whitley Bay carnival online.  The following is a ‘brief’ take of an interview that we took part in as part of that event.  For ease of reading we have highlighted the questions and bullet-pointed the answers; the original transcript is over 5000 words……. E-Right, Im recording J-Here we go…… Hi Everyone, we are Emma and Jess, we run babble and yak together which is a blog we started about a year ago.  It is all about the creative, working for yourself but not by yourself being each other’s sort of virtual cheerleaders-it seemed quite fitting to share our understandings on a blog for other creatives to share their experiences.    Emma and Jess  We have known each other a long time and had planned to show together this year at Whitley Bay for the first time but for obvious reasons this didn't happen! So, we decided to do something virtually together instead.   Last week we put out a call for...

Emma: Yak Well, my wall planner purchase in January was a waste of money! (Unless you think it's useful to know when I have done Pilates, been out for my daily walk or when I planned to food shop).  2020 has definitely not been our year for many reasons, and I don't really wish to dwell on it, other than to say that I really hope you're well, and keeping yourself and family safe.   Without beating around the bush, its been tough financially and mentally for me.  I will not bore you with the details but one thing I do take away from this, is just how lucky I am to have the family and friends that I do, who have supported me through this time.  I have been fortunate enough to be asked to produce two pieces of work also.  Focusing on something other than the (social media/self imposed) pressure to 'better myself' during this time.       I have also made a bit of time to develop some new pieces, re-think an old print that will...

Yak:Emma First things first...Happy Birthday to the Babble and Yak Blog! well perhaps not quite to the day, but the month of November is where we started it.  I cant believe how quickly the time goes.  With that in mind, we all know whats coming....Christmas!  Christmas is for me, and probably a lot of you, a very special time of year.  I go home home and so do all of my brothers, I see friends and family and catch up on sleep! One part that I really enjoy (except for, for my dad) is buying gifts for people.  I try and keep a list throughout the year of places I have seen things that I think people would like, comments that friends and family have mentioned in passing or just general points I have noticed that could help come December.   I attend a number of shows throughout the year which helps find a number of new makers and new potential gifts (sometimes though these turn out to be gifts for me! I love a mug...more of that later)  B...

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 hav...

Every child is an artist; the problem is staying an artist when you grow up” – PabloPicasso Yak: Emma  I have found it increasingly difficult to make art without the purpose being to sell it.   When deciding to start a creative business, the work I was producing was made for me.   I was creating work because I wanted to create it.   As time has gone on, with some of my work, not all of it, there has been a little voice in the back of my head questioning is this for me? Or am I making it because I know it will sell.   Now the purist out there might think I am a sell out, I am not, I am simply a creative who loves to make and wants to make a living out of what I love so must find a balance.  Or do I? even in the  writing of this short post I have wrestled with myself about this point.  Its good business sense to be commercial, but is it good for me as an artist? Is there a balance? Or is it a case of unleashing what's within and letting the a...