Day 47 of The Walking Home Project, 8-7-26 no km walked on the spiral
Today was different from every other day of this walk, and I love that about it, no two days are the same.
I started by taking the bus all the way to the hospital in Uccle to collect my hearing aids, one had broken and needed fixing. While I was there I found a lovely load of small boxes, which I’ll turn into a little cupboard for my workspace at home.
I arrived at around 10:30 at Russell’s place, and we went straight down to the cellar to work with clay. I’d given him a lump of clay years ago and it was still in perfect shape, so I could start right away.
It’s an odd thing, working with found objects the way I usually do, letting objects find me and letting the process guide me. This time I had to plan: so I made hands and feet for future pieces. Starting from a blank page felt strange.
Then I started on a face. The clay was so big and supple it was hard to get it beyond a mask, hard to get away from preconceived ideas. I worked on it for a long time, decided it was a brilliant exercise but I didn’t want it fired, and smashed it. Took a photo first. Kneaded all the clay back into a lump and made a little bowl instead. Looking at the photo afterwards I thought, I could have kept it and turned it into something else. C’est la vie. Lots learned, lots of inspiration gained.
Had a little lunch break and looked through Russell’s collection, mostly Japanese and American potters, a lot of wood kiln-fired work. Amazing stuff. We stopped around 3:30, went for an ice cream, and I collected my boxes and headed home.
Tried to ask Mehdi if I could park Sybille l’atelier mobile at his place tonight, but he’s working and everyone else had already left. A bit sad, so I still don’t know where she’ll rest tonight, but I’m sure something will work out. Long day ahead, off I go 👣
Thanks Russel! Also for your answer to my question; I need my pots and my things my art around me to feel at home and the knowledge that I have a space to create
