I believe so.
From an early age, I cared about my surroundings. I took the time to arrange and re-arrange my bedroom on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Making decorative pieces, designing posters and cut-outs to enhance my walls was something I loved to do. Arranging my shelves and my dressing table was a labour of love – the placement of my precious possessions meant everything to me. Nothing has changed I am still the same.
Did I learn this love of home making from my mother? She was a creative woman, collected and had a very good eye. Porcelain was her passion, glassware too. My collections are wide-ranging when it comes to the subject. They aren’t necessarily of monetary value but they are important to me for emotional reasons and as a date stamp of my life.
Creating a collection is a three-part process.
A desire for an object is paramount.
From passion comes the vision and joy to find others in the same vein. It is not about what you collect but how the individual pieces speak to each other. They tell a story and each additional item elevates the collection to another level.
The search is everything.
A collection can start small or we can find multiple pieces to make a greater impact. Having a clear intention and being observant helps us spot what we are looking for. Our thoughts need to be singular and focussed otherwise we run the risk of confusion and giving up. That has happened to me, I have lost my focus, widened the net and come home empty-handed. ‘Having an eye’ comes with practice and dedication.
Placement and then there is placement.
How do we arrange our beautiful and well-loved collections? Mine evolve through trial and error. The key is not to be afraid to move objects and see them in different environments. Change can be a challenge even when it comes to arranging our precious creations. We become accustomed to the way pieces appear and tend to lock into this vision rather than seek an alternative. I have moved many times over the last few decades and never have our collections stayed static. Think in shape, in size and in colour; what compliments the other? Clear everything away and start over, many times. Reverse orders and most importantly PLAY.
Which brings me to THE EMPORIUM, my new place to play.
The essence of this new venture is collecting.
I will be curating collections for THE EMPORIUM on a regular basis. No one collection will ever be the same and no two pieces are identical.
Each object appeals to me for different reasons. I have chosen them, played with them, arranged them and now they feel so familiar, they are best friends. I’m excited to share them with you. I encourage you to start a new collection, add to yours or appreciate how superb objects can come alive when viewed together.
Most importantly, they are not new.
They have lived and shared their magic with others. These beautiful objects are so worthy of celebration; why fabricate more when we can repurpose the most exquisite?
My wish is THE EMPORIUM will be your new place to play, too. xv
THE EMPORIUM will be live on Monday morning from 9 am GMT. I’m nervous, I’m excited and I can’t wait to show you.
Sign up HERE and be the first to know.
