creativity in captivity
has everyone found their calling without me? and other concerns...
in this moment of uncertainty, one thing I have found immensely reassuring is the collective turn towards creativity to cope. anyone can create; paint, plant, peel or pencil.
my best friend surprised us all with a slightly wonky, paint-by-numbers giraffe. as far as I recall, she's never painted in her life. what we all took away was her resourcefulness at honing a new skill. no one said you had to be good.
here's a round-up of things to get you creative:
1) FLOWER ARRANGING I knew nothing about flowers before isolation. now it's all I think about. the team at My Lady Garden make everything they touch pretty. head to their Instagram for tutorials on how to arrange a bouquet with a bit of bite or, if you’re in the Dalston area, get a grab and go bunch from straight from their studio door!
2) LAMPSHADE MAKING the super-talented Natalie Manima, founder of Bespoke Binny, is running an online lampshade-making class. the price includes all the tools you need plus material cut from her beautiful collection of West African fabrics. light up your life right here
3) BOOK CLUB former Bloomsbury editor Maddy Feeny and creative consultant Maria Castellanos have founded A Moveable Feast - the immersive literary supper-club where food meets literature, quite literally. the last (virtual) supper unpacked An Yu's much-buzzed about debut Braised Pork, so watch out for more, great upcoming events and author specials later in the year. ideal for those on the lookout for new writers...and new friends.
4) ART CLASS Partnership Editions (the team behind every piece of art you've ever coveted) has been running weekly classes with a stellar lineup of artists- Julianna Byrne, Hester Finch and Christabel Blackburn to name a few. catch-up on past classes on their site with a suggested donation to The Trussel Trust foodbank for Covid-19 relief. how to make a collage with Ruby Kean is a personal favourite.
5) COOK-A-LONG carb consumption is at an all-time high so why not seal the deal and enjoy a cook-a-long with cult pasta place Padella. the cacio e pepe how-to should be X-rated.
6) MARBLING with the beautiful artist Tess Newall. see her how-to on delightfully dappled eggs; great for ornaments and gifts.
