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One of the things I’ve been doing lately is making little voice notes or videos about my creative practice (if you want to call it something as grand as that). Really, they’re just small thoughts on what it feels like to be me, doing the creative stuff I do.
So today I thought I’d do a bit of that here – thinking out loud, or “showing my working,” as my secondary school maths teacher used to say (hands up if you remember that!).
Here’s where I’m at: Like I mentioned last week, June has been a whirlwind of a month. It’s my daughter’s birthday month – she just turned another year older yesterday – and, as I’m sure you can imagine, there’s always a little (or a lot) of work that goes into that.
One of our family traditions is that my husband and I make her a book every year for her birthday. He writes it, and I illustrate it. This year was no different. The book always feels like a race against time (because it is – what sort of maniac gives themselves a month or less to illustrate a book?!? Me, that’s who.). It’s time-consuming, a bit stressful, but deeply gratifying. And this year, I’m especially proud of the work I made.
I drew inspiration from Art Deco and Art Nouveau, as well as some of my favourite illustrators — Kay Nielsen and Arthur Rackham – and ancient Greek red-figure pottery painting. The story this year was set in a mythological version of ancient Greece, when the gods were still kicking around. I poured hours into it… and it was totally worth it. We gave her the book yesterday. She loved it. And honestly, there’s nothing quite as wonderful as seeing someone you love light up over something you made just for them.
That wasn’t the only big creative thing this month. I also took part in my second Open Studios day at Leith Makers. It was a very different experience from last time – mostly because the weather was absolutely miserable.
This time, Open Studios happened on the same day as the Leith Gala – a big, lively fair with stalls, music, food, and all sorts of entertainment on Leith Links. Except… the weather had other plans. It started with heavy rain, then thunder and lightning, and by noon the gala had to shut down completely. We’re used to a bit of weather in Scotland, but this was torrential – the kind of rain that bounces back up from the pavement and soaks you from underneath as well as on top!
Needless to say, the Open Studios turnout was much quieter than last time. For the first little while hardly anyone came. But I thought that might happen so I came prepared. I’d brought some work to do. But the hopeful side of me also brought snacks – because I really believe that if you’re inviting people into your space, whether it’s your home or your studio, snacks are essential hospitality.
And when people did start arriving, the snacks were very well received. They made people feel welcome, and helped break the ice – because let’s be honest, walking into a stranger’s studio can feel a little awkward.
It ended up being a really nice day in a different way. Lauren demonstrated her printmaking process, Natalya shared her porcelain work, and I chatted about my illustration. We had cups of tea. Some visitors made bookmarks with me, which opened up the chance for deeper, quieter conversations — or just some peaceful creative time in my studio, which one person described as “a shrine to creativity and all the things you like.”
It was quieter. It had a different vibe. But I was still on my feet all day, grabbing lunch in bites while chatting, and I was completely drained afterwards. Despite all that, it reminded me how important those little human connections are – especially in a practice that can feel quite solitary. Maybe not everyone feels this way, but I really value those moments of connection.
If you were one of the people who braved the rain to visit – thank you. It really was lovely to see you.
As for the rest of June… I’m planning to keep it quiet(ish?). I need to let my energy recover, and my creativity along with it. Making a book, prepping for events, doing things for others – it’s joyful and worthwhile, but it also takes a lot out of me. So I’m hoping for a bit of calm to fill the well again. Well, after my kiddo’s birthday party this weekend…
We’ll see how that plan for calm goes. Any bets? 😉
