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  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,...

Yak As months go, January is pretty loaded.  Expectations are high, motivation is at its most powerful new me; new you, new everything.  I don't buy into this much (I did for many years, but honestly, you're good as you are) but I do love a list and a plan.     Social media has a lot of positives, and my personal favourite is Instagram, but it also has a fair amount of negatives.  With January and creatives there is a mass of new planners, success sharing from 2019, goal planning for 2020, exciting opportunities and that is all great, I am genuinely happy for those successes, art gets a rough deal and its great that people are making progress.  For me though, its one big comparison of what I haven't achieved, to goals I haven't met, to work I am just not capable of making.        For me, comparisons have always been around.  At school, constant comparing with others on where their life was going, boys, body's and grad...

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:Emma I think that its fairly safe to say that most makers (including crafters and artists-I am just using the one word for convenience) have a peak selling time, and that for most makers, their peak time is the run up to Christmas.  I applied for my Edinburgh Christmas show in May, my November show shortly afterwards.  Me and Jess have been talking, thinking, and planning Christmas really, since the summer.   For the best part of last week I have been home home.  I walked by the sea, always a head clearer, worked on some new screen prints and if I am honest watched a few (too many according to my Dad and Jess) Christmas films.  Now I am not talking your 'classic' Christmas films like Elf, the Grinch or a Wonderful life but Christmas at Pemberley Manor, A Very Country Christmas and my most recent watch; Switched at Christmas.  You may laugh, roll your eyes or judge, or think what has this got to do with being a maker but bear with me I ...