“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
William Morris
William Morris has never really gone out of style and I believe that he still has much to teach us about living a life that is both aesthetically and practically pleasing. He was at the forefront of a movement to bring craftsmanship back into a world where mass production was the norm. And this was the nineteenth century! Although his main focus was textiles, his ideology spilled over into other mediums and continues to this day.
His philosophy was simply this: whenever possible, buy or make objects that serve a purpose and bring joy to the viewer. We are blessed with thousands of artisans in this country – and they need our support. In a world of built-in obsolescence and fast fashion, we can gain a great deal from the slow world of the hand-made. Recently, I used a bequest from my late father to buy a hand-made quilt. It is the best memorial. It keeps me cosy at night and cheers me every morning when I look at the intricate design.
Choices, choices
Of course, not many of us will have the time or skill to make something as exquisite as the quilt above. However, we can all make our lives a little more beautiful by investing in making practical objects for our homes or for our friends.
For me, choosing a medium is the hardest thing. There are so many wonderful arts and crafts to choose from. I confess to dabbling in quite a few, but I suspect that paper is my true calling. Origami, card making, paper cut, art journaling and calligraphy are all paper based and an endless form of entertainment. They are also very cheap. If you mess up an origami shape – you only waste a square of paper – and I have wasted dozens.
Recently, I have been blessed with the friendship and guidance of a professional calligrapher, Mary Shemza. If ever there were an exercise in patience, it was this. But pen, ink, paper and letters are what I live for, so this is clearly the medium for me.
And this is how it’s really done:
I think that I have mentioned my craft group before, and what a talented bunch they are, with their skills encompassing: painting, pottery, needlework, quilting, paper crafts and knitting. And I’d like to honour them here with a sample of their work.
We are all amateurs, but I hope they will inspire you to take on one of these arts/crafts. An MA in Fine Arts is not a requirement for a fulfilling artistic life.
Painting
Each week, Jane C dazzles us with the latest work on her painting. It is fascinating to watch how a painting progresses and encouraging too. This is not a one off flash of brilliance, but a steady layering of skill until the final version is ready to be admired.
To stretch her already considerable talents further, Jane attends a weekly art class (now being conducted on-line) and I would encourage anyone attempting to take up any new skill to take advantage of tutoring/lessons. It is often tempting to think that we don’t need guidance in such matters and there certainly are many excellent self-taught artists out there. However, I don’t believe in making life more difficult than necessary. I’m very happy to learn from another’s mistakes and take advantage of their knowledge. I don’t have time for five or six years’ study at art school – so I’ll thank and learn from those who have!
Pottery
Another friend, Penny, has caught the pottery bug. She attends lessons at an arts collective in the town. Like many of the arts, pottery does not come cheap; however, by accessing materials and a kiln at nominal cost, she is able to pursue a hobby that might otherwise be prohibitively expensive. Having the advice of skilled potters to hand has also led to very high calibre work.
One of the advantages of this art is that it fulfils the requirement of being both useful and beautiful. I use her delightful cake plate regularly. William Morris would be proud.
The same applies to my other two friends who are brilliant needle-workers. Through their expertise with needle and thread they are able to transform the most simple of things – fabric – into beautiful and useful items. Jane B is the queen of quilts (and helped me make mine for my grand-daughter) and Jenny is the empress of embroidery.
Each often uses their skill to make gifts for loved-ones and friends. And these gifts are far more precious than any store bought ones. So our hobby becomes an act of love, imbuing the object not simply with their unique qualities, but affection too.
Over the years, I have received a number of hand-made gifts that I cherish to this day. Some of the kindness, like the hours my friend Joanne must have spent making me a quilt after my MS diagnosis, is more than I can repay. Except in gratitude.
And living beautifully is all about this – being grateful for the abilities we have and sharing the results . We do not need to be a member of a craft guild to qualify, we simply need to participate.
So, in these weeks and perhaps months ahead when life is so uncertain and isolated, I urge you to reconnect with a hobby you enjoy or perhaps find a new one. When life gives you lemons … create.