It's All About Connections

And so the dust settles on Spring Fling Open Studios for another year.

What a fantastic weekend...three days of glorious sunshine, friendly faces and great conversations about art (and much more besides).

There were some wonderfully serendipitous moments, chance encountors and discovered connections. I never fail to be astonished and enchanted every time 'six degrees of separation' is proven once again. We are all connected, whether it's through another person, a place or a love of digestive biscuits with peanut butter (true). Life has taught me that when you open yourself up, the necessary answers, connections and inspiration will be sent your way. While I was doing fittings for theatre costumes or bridal wear and had a particular worry or problem going on in my life, it was almost unbelievable the number of times someone would walk into my studio and, through conversation, I would discover they were a specialist in that particular subject, or had been through it themselves.

This weekend was full of conversation and connection. In no particular order, and amongst many others, I met -

• Someone who had worked on the Scottish Rock Art project that had so informed my recent pieces 'Drumtroddan' and 'Glasserton' https://rockart.scot

• An actor turned poet who shared a very similar career path to me

• A very talented artist whose work I had been thinking about and pondering upon whilst creating my 'Seed Vessels"

• Another artist who so generously shared her personal health journey which related to challenges in my family

• A fabulous woman who shared my passion for green enamel teapots (niche)

• A woman who told me about being left her mother's seed drawer, and her subsequent need to collect seeds ( without knowing my art is very much about seeds at the moment )

• friends of friends of acquaintances of friends

And, memorably, someone who told me about being buried with an acorn planted in your head. I am so going to do this one.

I use my art to ask myself questions, to express my passions, and reflect upon what really matters to me. I get such joy and inspiration when my work triggers such great conversations with others.