The workshop with Estela Saez was a frustrating, humbling, infuriating and ultimately rewarding experience. Estela is an expert at shining a light on flabby thinking and boy, did I have to shape up and work hard to get my works ready for Galerie Marzee as a result!
Estela helped me to really think about materials, why I was using the materials I had chosen and how they were being used. I am largely an instinctive maker and often avoid thinking about context until a piece is physically taking shape but the workshop helped me realise how materials and context are bedfellows, sometimes grumpy ones racked by insomnia and snoring, but bedfellows nonetheless.
This HandShake experience also helped reinforce my pre-existing notion that I make as a form of therapy. I make to try and understand myself and my place in the world. Consequently it’s a neverending work in progress…
Thank you to Peter, Hilda, my fellow HandShakers and Galerie Marzee. It’s been an amazing experience to be part of this project and I am forever in your debt.
‘Traces’ neckpiece [mild steel, iron tacks, 24ct gold leaf, vintage seed pearls, silk thread]
‘Native Breed’, brooch [found metal, vintage saddle leather, Swarovski crystal beads, brass wire]
‘Horse Brass’, neckpiece [vintage saddle leather, vintage seed pearls, fencing wire, brass plate, car paint, oxidised sterling silver, Swarovski crystal beads, brass wire, cotton thread]
‘Breastplate’, neckpiece [vintage saddle leather, mild steel, iron tacks, vintage saddle stuffing, vintage seed pearls, silk thread]
‘Native Breed’, brooch. Brooch stand made from fencing wire, pewter, brass plate
‘My Little Pony’, brooch [vintage saddle leather, vintage saddle stuffing, pony hair, gold-filled wire, vintage saddle metal hardware]