I’ve been keeping my eyes open for opportunities to try out new skills and reignite my interest in older ones. When I was at secondary school and college much of the work that I did was tangible; drawing, print making, fashion designing and sewing, textiles. Since I graduated I have worked increasingly in digital and virtual. Don’t get me wrong, I love the skills in UX, design and project management that I have developed, but making, the experience of feeling it in your hands, interacting with the materials as they are shaped into something new is something I miss.
In the last month I have found some great chances to expand out my repertoire and try out things I’ve not done for an awfully long time.
The first two were short courses run by the Museum of Making Curator Daniel Martin (vinyl cutting), and the Silk Mill Maker-in-Residence Graeme Smith (using the laser cutter with InkScape).
Both took you through the basics of how to use the software and the hardware to create something to take away.

The last creative skill I tried again was linked in with the work that I completed for my Foundation studies in Art and Design. At the time I was fascinated with wrapping and revealing; ephemera, bodies, rope, clothing. It manifested itself in a number of ways. During one of the days I volunteered at DMAG the artist Jane Bevan ran a workshop based upon her own creative practice, one of foraging and developing unique pieces from her finds. I had gifted some peacock feathers to Andrea who included these in with the materials supplied by Jane herself. Andrea kindly invited me to participate in the workshop which drew about 15 other people, many of whom were practicing craft artisans as well.


I’ll post some pictures here when I have completed the activity.