Awareness. Reflection. Creativity.

Creativity is not, as we are often led to believe, an artistic endeavour, but the ability to develop awareness and to see the world with new eyes: literally, to generate a new perspective. A creative practice then is first and foremost about creating ourselves, rather than "producing" objects: a slow process of listening and dialogue with the resources we are using and, above all, with that most wondrous of materials that is "us".

Creative practice, or the practice of creativity, is a constant exercise of search and research and, as such, of learning the art of patience, of embracing the unexpected, and of making and accepting mistakes. It is somewhere where we find our own calmness and our own rhythms: a space for reflection where we can allow ourselves to ask (and answer!) all the whats and whys in our choices, and where we learn to mould a personal discipline and confidence that are not measured or judged by parameters other than our own.

CUSTOM SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS - ONE-TO-ONE AND GROUPS

On a one-to-one basis, I offer support from a single chat to ongoing development work over months or even years. Group sessions are more workshop-based and are aimed at students (Bachelor's onward), and operate within a timeframe agreed with the organising tutor, generally ranging from a minimum of two days to a week. In both cases, the starting point can be a particular area of interest, but I believe in and practice a holistic approach that aims to build awareness of the connectivity in all our thinking and doing. 

FORAGE AND FORGE - JEWELLERY WORKSHOPS

We will work mainly with found, collected and gathered objects, which you will be encouraged to bring along as material for both making and discussion. We will investigate the provenance and significance of these objects and their interest as materials. We will then explore processes and the degree of intervention we are willing to impose on our chosen objects, while experimenting with a variety of metalworking techniques such as piercing, drilling, hammering and a lot of cold connections. Through our investigations and explorations into the nature of the original materials and the finished piece(s), and the physical and emotional processes involved in its production, we will try and reflect on the transformative power of making.

Forage & Forge can also be run as a one-day workshop, or as a 3- or 5-day one, in your own institution or school. If an external venue is available or proposed, they can also be done as a residential course.  Also, if you are an individual with a special project in mind and/or wishing to engage in a period of personal research and making on a one-to-one basis, I would be delighted to hear from you.

CORPORATE WORKSHOPS

Productivity does not reside in the ability of a company to comply with ever-increasing instructions and demands, but in the universal wellbeing of its employees. Efficiency is not achieved through the simple acquisition of faster response methods but through slow and mindful fostering of each individual's (and understanding of each other's!) own brand of creativity and problem-solving abilities, and the engendering of widespread reflective practice. An understanding of value only comes from being valued, so whether you are a small, medium or large business, please consider a making-based workshop as an alternative to traditional team building and employee perk days. The desire to work with commercial enterprises is an increasingly important impetus for my practice and my approach of social responsibility by all and for all, through which paying clients contribute not only to the sustainability of my own business but also allow me, as a practitioner, to volunteer my knowledge and time to pass on the same skills to groups who would not be able to afford my fees. Please contact me for details.

To enquire about any of these workshops, please click here to EMAIL ME.