Meeting with the wonderful Beppe Kessler has been a highlight of Handshake so far. Beppe is an incredibly accomplished contemporary jeweller and it is an honour to have her focus on my own work. She encouraged me to draw on my background (in Sociology and Politics Science) and to revisit pieces that have brought me joy, as a starting place for new work. She was kind, generous and thoroughly thoughtful with her feedback. She had some lovely reflections for us all. Some of my key takeouts from our session were to:
- Always be critical of what a coach is telling you.
- Follow your heart and passion.
- Try things out but be original.
- Be yourself and develop your handwriting.
- Remember, you are the only one who knows the right path: you have to feel it in your heart.
We all have a unique experience of the world that provides us with a distinctive perspective and a great place to draw our inspiration. I am a Hare in a world that is made for Tortoises’ and part of finding my signature has to be accepting this and leaning into my strengths. Instead of fighting to be a tortoise I must find what works the best for me. We all must find our own little path with things that inspire us along the way.