Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “inspiration”
Hello! As a maker in the decorative arts, I always tried to elevate my work by adding content. Whether it was two frogs chatting in a coffee cup or ducks telling a joke to a frog on the inside a bowl, it added meaning to an object. Imagine. Meaning transports the decorative arts into the realm of Fine Arts; that is where we …
What a lucky boy I am! Many years ago, Maureen and I were at Larry Davidson’s Lost Horizons nursery near Acton. As we got close to running out of space in our little car, Larry walked over with as many jardinières as he could carry. “Take these off my hands”, he said. He had just retired from being a very …
I seem to need surprises. I planted a spindle tree many years ago because I liked the bark. Then I fell in love with the color of the leaves. Now I find a new admiration for the berries that come later in the year. I picked some of them for our show here last November…put them in a toaster. The …
Maureen and I would like to thank all of you that came out to our Lonsdale Studio Exhibition. It was like old home week! Lovely to see all of you in such fine health. There were certainly some raised eyebrows. Why would anyone want to put a flower in a shoe…and why shoes? When I was a kid, our mother …
I love the phrase Juvenile Senior. A friend told me that is what he is, because he hired people to put a new roof on his house, even though he could maybe have done it himself. A few years ago he would have for sure. Now is now. I mention Juvenile Senior, because I just read my own history written …
Spring is like a beautiful Spanish orange. It looks good, it smells great, and as the layers are exposed, the promise of what is inside makes my mind work overtime. We have seen spring arrive in Lonsdale for 43 years, and each time we pinch ourselves to see if it is real. There always is something new to look at. …
I love a magazine called Lucky Peach. It is an honest, mostly insider look at the food industry. In a world of smoke and mirrors, this publication has lots to expose. I read about a food-like product that I had no idea could, would or should exist. It was an expose of something called “Lunchables”. I have been in large …
For some unknown reason, I continue to be a lucky man. On a very hot day this week, this sign was added to the election signs on the roadside right in front of our house. It brought such a breath of fresh air to our village!
Spring in Lonsdale has been lovely. We had a great group of guests for the Spring Exhibition in May, and my thanks go out to all of you for your support and interest in the new works. It was great to talk with friends, and get caught up after a cold winter. Since then, nature has shown its power. The …
I work seven days a week in my studio from sometime in September right through to May. That is usually enough. Leaving the studio is a very good idea, because after a long stint I get a bit comfortable; a bit lazy and a bit …well, dull. If you value your career, and your dignity, leave. Just walk out and …
The main challenge still exists for a person who makes functional wares. That task is to make an object that not only functions well, that is, does its job, but is beautiful and meaningful when it is not being used. It is not easy. On many occasions I have had artists ask me if function ever got in the way …