When I came up to Gargrave one of the things I really wanted to do was to get back into making vessels. I would still make cufflinks and jewellery but I would only sell these direct (with the exception of retail outlets that had bought from me before) and I would dedicate a lot more time to developing for want of a better word, pots! And last year has been very good in that I have developed some nice bright and breezy utilitarian pieces, as well as the odd sculptural piece and some wall pieces.
Oval vessel with gold circle and black splash
I can honestly pat myself on the back and look forward to an interesting year. I have however had a very tempting and potentially lucrative offer to expand the jewellery side of things - and I was sorely tempted. But having given it quite a bit of thought I have realised that though this is probably the easiest way for me to make a living from my work, it is not in line with where I want to be in the future. And at some point in your life you have to turn away from the even grassy path and strike up the stony uphill path that goes where you really want to be. And in this world where we judge people primarily by how much money they make it can be hard to swim against the tide.
So I will tweak my jewellery ranges, add a few new bits here and there, play and have fun with images in Photoshop, but I will not be diverted from my primary goal of making vessel based work. I will build on the achievements of last year, I will work to improve my throwing, and hone my designs. Its not a time to be timid, it's a time to be bold and to stay focussed.
