Everyday Miracles
Jewellery inspired by nature and the tiny details I find on daily walks.
I’m a walker. I love the immersion in the landscape that a long footpath and a canine friend offers. I like to feel the wind in my face and smell the earth in the air, see twisted weather worn trees and collect treasures that decorate my studio. I make jewellery inspired by nature as my way of summoning that sense of landscape, of the great vista but also of the tiny details; the texture of stones, the forms of lichen and the silvery light on a dark sea across Carrick Roads. The sense of magic in old landscapes helps me to keep sight of the everyday miracles and now, more than ever, I need to hold tight to those.
I have been reading a beautiful book for the second time called ‘Silence’ by Erling Kagge in which he writes “...to be alone with my task, is a wonderful luxury”. I know this. I am so very lucky to be able to shut myself away and work in silence if I choose too with the sound of the wind rushing about through the trees or the rain drumming on the shingled roof of my workshop. The solace I find in solitude, either walking or working at my bench peg, is something I hold dear and I know for others, it would be uncomfortable or dull but my best thinking and summoning of new ideas comes in the quiet spaces between everyday life and I have been missing it for a few months now as our home became the place we all were, day in day out.
Things are returning to our normal, my husband is working again and I have luxurious stretches of time to myself. I am buzzing with new work and excited to be taking part in real live shows in 2021. I feel new possibilities as I watch the season change from the glorious, yawning days of summer into the busy, productive days of autumn. I am gathering the fruits of our gardening endeavours and making chutney and jam, I’m picking from the hedgerows and learning about the value of these free berries to ward off colds (River Cottage Handbook No.2), much needed the past week with a nasty head cold laying me low for much of the week.
I cleaned my studio, not a spring clean but an autumnal equinox clean, ready for my busiest period of the year. I am looking at stocking up on favourite designs and adding new pieces of jewellery, in small numbers, to make this winter a bit more special for you. I am have a lovely selection of stones in stock and will show case these gradually as we move into the colder months, if anything catches your eye, let me know as its always lovely to work one to one with you.
Anyway, I’ve taken enough of your time, thank you for reading this far. Enjoy autumn, watch the berries disappearing as the birds feast, watch the green orange brown as the trees undress and notice the small things for they are surely the warp and weft of life.
If you are interested in seeing more of the processes and person behind Lucy Spink Jewellery, ie me!, I will be putting out some short videos (home made so please bear with me!) to demonstrate some of the techniques I use and show you around my workshop.