Small Ambitions

Wrapped up Joy

Welcome to my wee corner of Substack. I am a seasonal artist living on the Isle of Arran, off the west coast of Scotland. I am the custodian of approximately two acres of land that includes a woodland, a meadow and my wee garden. I offer a seasonal book arts project for paid subscribers if you are interested and you can read more about that HERE. Grab a cuppa and lets delve into our relationship with the shifting seasons…..

September is the beginning of my year as I spent so many years as a teacher. This year I have taken a huge step outside myself and looked back. I turn 60 in a few weeks and I want my next years to reflect my love of the seasons in a much deeper level. When I reached 40 I thought I might be about half way through this journey that is life. I was content with that. When I reached 50 I knew I would need medical science on myside to be half way. As I reach 60 I finally have to accept that there are less years ahead than behind and that, in itself, has become life changing. I have been a student of time ever since I studied with the late Waverly Fitzgerald as she taught me the joy of thinking as time as nothing more than a continuous string of moments. I learnt to make the most of each of those moments on the string and it felt like infinity which is a beautiful way to view your life.

In this 60th year I am going to change that a wee bit for fear that my string isn’t, in fact, based in infinity. I am going to create pockets of time. Each perfectly formed pocket will have a strong intention and be stuffed full of life. Through social history we see how important pockets have been, especially for women. I want to pay homage to that as well. As an immediate result I no longer crave big creative projects that take lots of time to complete. From now on my bigger projects are those with my Patrons and those of you on my Book Arts project here on Substack.

As I move forward in my own creative life I am focussing on small projects that fit perfectly inside one of my precious pockets. Sometimes the pockets will rest a while in my studio mind while others I will start immediately.

The sense of ‘pocket creativity’ asks me to think small. Small is something I can manage but it is also to be treasured. Just as my thinking developed on this pathway in comes an email from our island librarian. I did a Stitched Stories exhibition for the library earlier this year. ‘Would I like to do a solo exhibition in 2025?’ ‘Leave it with me…..’

Some days later I realised that the idea was obvious. I will create a library of bookmarks. I felt like a genius when that idea popped into my creative brain! I am not sure it would have if I hadn’t already moved through the thinking of ‘pockets’ and then ‘small’. Serendipity.

But it gets better than this….Many of you will know that my daughter is

Molly Ella

and she writes on here and has a fabulous youtube channel about her life in the Highlands living in a tiny home. Recently, she has bought a wee van and her partner has converted it into a micro camper. You so know I am going to call it a pocket camper. With the absolute risk of being accused of copying her….My newly acquired wee van is currently under the skillful hand of Molly’s partner. I know, I copied her!

So, 2025 already looks very different. My conversion allows for me to work in the van on my exhibition bookmarks and products for my Etsy store. With a bit of practice I hope to take my Patrons and all of you with me as I travel in my pocket van. First stop is the island I call home as this feels the perfect way to share it. If you see two white pocket vans following each other somewhere deep in Scotland it is likely that it is Molly and I and, yes, she will be in the lead.

There is more than that in the pipeline but I will save that for another day. If you want to wander along with me on my pocket seasonal creative adventures you would be most welcome….

Until next time.

Fiona xx