Threads

There are a seemingly infinite number of threads (each requiring a certain level of skill) to manage within my business. Some of these come naturally, while others require determination to succeed, and a recognition of their importance regardless of how hard I find them. Ideas are never found wanting but developing them into products is a more convoluted process; making one piece is a delight but trying to repeat it and develop consistency is more challenging; writing is a joyful aside but building a website and managing technology is definitely not my forté….  

On a day-to-day basis most of these are elements that I barely consider, but today I was working in my studio and felt that the piece I was working on was not perfect. Sometimes it can be hard to discern perfection- is there anything actually wrong with it or am I too invested having spent several consecutive hours working on it? What was my original concept and how closely does the finished piece resemble my initial idea? Does it matter that the two don’t exactly match, and if it does, is it better to stick to the original idea or to create a piece more organically? Finally, will someone buying the product see what I see? I can be my biggest critic, and as a follow up thought - within the world of basketry, would a different Basketmaker love this or be critical of it, would this matter to me, and does it matter to my finished piece?

            Many of these questions have no right answer, and often my most typical way of dealing with these thoughts is to step away from making- leave the piece either finished or in progress and return the following day. Fresh eyes and rest often result in the most enlightening outcome.

Today however, I had a deeper realisation. The problem is not so much the piece, as it is the number of variables it takes to get to the finished piece. Every day is a lesson in striving to achieve the very best within the realms of what is possible to me, and that’s purely when looking at the weaving alone. Step back and consider the bigger picture - the design, the materials, the marketing, the management, the studio to name but a few, and it’s no wonder that I sometimes feel overwhelmed.

 I will, over the next few months, spend time within this journal looking at these individual threads. They will include (not exhaustively): choice of material - homegrown versus commercial willow; preparation of material; the making process; design; oak; affiliated materials; making my website; marketing; applications for galleries and design fairs; and undoubtedly a myriad of other topics that distract me as I work through these things that I find myself bound to - when in reality I just want to weave. I hope they lend insight into my daily workings and help you understand that a completed product is so much more than simply a day’s work….