I made a spoon yesterday.  Rather, I made four spoons, this is the spoon I managed to enamel, late in the course of the evening.  I’ve been wanting to try my hand at crafting flatware for a couple of years now and finally found myself with a dash of creative impetus yesterday afternoon whereupon I declared, “I’m going to go make a spoon.“

So I did.

————————————————–

You know, I’d like to try making and enameling little dishes, teacups, dessert plates (I did make quite a large copper bowl five years ago but I didn’t enamel it)….all of those items that are used on an daily basis, objects that are woven in to our mornings and evenings so seamlessly…namely because I think making such things is a healthy return to the root of craft! I know jewelry is incorporated into daily life as well but it is an adornment, not a tool.  I often daydream about making things besides jewelry that can become seamlessly enmeshed in the daily life of the individual who uses them.  I guess I mean:  Art that works.  Allow me to illustrate this statement with the following comparison.  In my mind, there are two kinds of beautiful men.  There are beautiful men who are a pleasure to look at and there are beautiful men who can build houses and replace the fuel pump on their truck.  Do you get my drift?  I want to make beautiful things that are beautiful for the sake of soul stirring.  I also want to make beautiful things that work and fulfill a need in daily life!

————————————

People used to make things because they needed them.  They made clay pots, cups and dishes because they needed to eat off of something or they needed something to hold their wine.  They forged metal because they needed a teapot or a sword or a new horse shoe for their war horse.  Craft used to be a necessity and understanding how to make something and executing that ability to craft actually contributed to your own or another’s immediate and daily life.  This spoon is just a spoon, heck, I could go out to the nearest grocery store and pick up a bundle of spoons, but for me, crafting this particular spoon is a return to purposeful craft — I need a spoon to stir my tea, I will make a spoon that fulfills that need.  There’s something sort of magical about that, don’t you think?  Now I’m just randomly pondering out loud, tell me, what are your thoughts on this topic?

—————————————————————-

Of course, I’m still smitten with art for the sake of art.  That’s wonderful too and it demands soul searching and a deeper internal process at times.

But this week, I’m mostly interested in spoons.  Spoons for stirring.  Spoons for sipping.

—————————————————

Good grief!  Today is the start of March!  Can you believe it?  I keep thinking about tawny lions and shabby little sheep and wondering if the month will hold snowstorms or tulip sprouts.  We’re keeping a nice pair of house guests here for these next whiles so do pardon me if my presence out and about the interwebs is a smidge spotty.

I’ll be daydreaming of you all.

xx