I feel incredibly fortunate to have had Manon van Kouswijk as my mentor over the past year. What stands out most about Manon’s approach is her quiet sense of humour—subtle and layered, it gradually reveals itself, inviting a deeper appreciation of her work. I often found myself hoping that some of this lightness of touch would rub off on me as I explored my own creative process.
At the start of this year, I was faced with the question of how to move forward from the body of work I had shown at Depot Artspace. In that work, I had sought to capture the passage of time through the repetition of images. I wanted to convey the feeling of a fleeting moment, one that gradually fades as memories fragment and eventually slip away. Time, in its blur, pulls everything into a hazy past, and I wanted to explore this sensation through my art. Ultimately, I hoped to return to the object and jewellery, connecting these abstract ideas back to something tangible and wearable.
Manon’s interpretation of my previous work was insightful: she saw it as an exploration of the disruption of the image. This prompted her to suggest that I move away from the significance of any one image and, instead, focus on the different ways in which an image can be manipulated. She encouraged me to choose a random photograph—one without sentimental meaning—and to play with it. The goal was to free myself from the weight of expectation and explore without the pressure of an end result.
Alongside this, Manon recommended I build a library of materials, experimenting with various techniques and ways of applying images to those materials. This process quickly filled my workshop with manipulated paper and fabric, yet there was still a longing to bring jewellery back into the fold. This exploration began to take shape around how I could dissect these flat forms and create something wearable, something that could evolve into jewellery.
One idea that took hold was the concept of a patchwork type spiral – something that could be either a square image or a draped strand. How many ways could I cut a piece of paper and still satisfy this concept? The challenge became about finding creative ways to manipulate the material while remaining true to my underlying exploration of time and memory.
Manon’s advice throughout was invaluable: “Be loose with your process,” she urged. “Don’t worry about the endpoint.” This idea of loosening control was both liberating and daunting. She reminded me to focus on the question behind my work – the search, not the answer.
During one of our sessions, I mused about what the image would actually be. That’s when the idea of infinite repetition struck me. A photograph, although infinitely replicable, can never actually capture the exact moment again. This idea of endless repetition mirrored something I had been thinking about for a while: family jewellery. Just as we imbue jewellery with meaning, it becomes a tangible link to our past, our present self, and the future. It exists in a space where time is both static and in flux, much like a photograph trying to hold onto a moment that has already passed.
Another theme Manon and I discussed frequently was the tension between the need for deadlines—exhibitions, for example—and the reality that good work is often takes time. Creative processes cannot always be forced, and sometimes, the best ideas develop slowly and unpredictably. I am beginning to view exhibitions not as definitive end points but as moments in time—markers of progress rather than the final word. As I learn to build a body of work in a more organic way, I am also learning not to view my pieces as “finished” in the traditional sense. Like a family tree, my work will continue to grow, branch out, and change.
As I reflect on the path I’ve been on, I can see how much I’ve learned. The pile of potential ideas and techniques waiting for me in my studio feels full of possibilities. I feel positive about the direction I’m heading, and I’m excited to continue discovering where this journey will take me. There’s still much to explore, and I’m looking forward to seeing how my work evolves.