Creative Striking

 I'm  on strike today over pension reform - the first time ever and not a decision I made lightly but having said 'yes' in the Prospect ballot I felt I should.  Although not strictly 'Public Sector' as we're  one of those 'Arms Length Bodies' , we are part of the Civil  Service Pension scheme. As I  was in my 30's when I joined the scheme ( up until that point I had been contributing to a private pension)  I am buying 'additional years' to make sure I am paying enough in to the tune of 14% of my salary. With  a 2 year pay freeze ( and then a 1% cap!) it's going to be difficult  to pay an additional 3% on top.  Our pension  benefits are part of the package to make up for the lower pay that scientists and other specialists  receive in comparison to the private sector - we're deeply committed to our work (conservation is long-term)   but there are limits to how much they take that for granted
                                     
Anyway I've been making the most of my days unpaid leave, testing paints on  my red and cream ebay purchase , taking photos of the red stick against it.

 After cleaning the kitchen,then baking rolls and ginger biscuits, I've been sorting through my fabrics , making a gradient of blue/green tones with a larger 'Anavriti' door piece in mind.

So it was quite opportune to read  '29 Ways to stay creative' posted on Linda's blog. Not doing too badly on several fronts (apart from 4- get away from the computer!)  No. 25 resonated' 'Stop trying to be someone else's perfect'

Auditioning Chaos or Glorious Mess

This morning the Garden Gods were finally with us and we got out and did the leaf clearance, vine pruning and putting stuff through the 'chunker' that we'd been intending to do since before Xmas. After our first lunch outside this year, I got back to my studio and was struck how chaotic it looked( you can't see all the stuff on the floor in the picture above) . Obviously I was still in 'tidy' mode but still , surely I hadn't left it in such state after yesterdays' auditioning of fabrics for my Tunisia Door project? Had I? I'm sure many of you are used to the scenario of heaps of fabric everywhere and misplacing the piece you'd rejected a minute ago but now realise is just the the thing. My last few quilts have been near enough wholecloths so there hasn't been the same auditioning frenzy but even so , when did I get so untidy ? Ian says I should be proud of such a glorious mess as it shows creativity!


My last fabric gathering exercise was early last year when I was compiling fabrics for my 'Weir' piece ( still to be quilted) That was a relatively controlled process on a table with rejects going back in a box. Perhaps the new approach is the fault of my design wall!!

Art v. Science?

There's a wonderful lesson in philosophy on Robin's blog that has really got me thinking:

"a person can be good at many things. We are all multi-faceted, and it's the constraints of society that often tell us to only do one thing"

I'm thinking in particular of the supposed gulf between art and science, a gap in understanding that I attempt to bridge every day. At school, I was good at both art and science and was lucky enough to be able to do both at 'A' level ( with a bit of leverage on my chemistry teacher who was devising the timetable). My art tutor wanted me to go to art college but I decided in the end to study Botany at university as I could continue to paint and draw as a hobby but it wouldn't have worked the other way round. It was a decision I've never regretted and I have built my career in science while continuing to develop my artistic skills.

Creativity is not restricted to the art field - it is essential in my job to devise new ways to grow plants in the lab for research and conservation. 'What if.... ' is a frequent phrase and with limited resources we have to be imaginative in approach. Likewise, attention to detail, planning, analysis ,observational skills and putting the hours in are just as relevant in my art work as in my day job.

Sometimes it seems that both the science and art worlds like to maintain a sense of mystery and arrogance and both are often poor in promoting understanding of what they do.

So for a change, I'll share some creative projects from my science life.

This insignificant little plant is the subject of several high-impact scientific papers in the field of evolutionary biology

Lovely swirly root patterns here!

This little cauliflower is part of a series of simple experiments I'm devising for schools - so far both teachers and children are excited about these practicals

And this is my creative work space!