Gillian Lee Smith

mosaic monday 23 feb

mosaic monday 23 feb, originally uploaded by gilfling.

 

1. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thenoise000/3301523781/">negate</a>, 2. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29488741@N06/3298019643/">casatorre1</a>, 3. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30630895@N05/3290764695/">stoneknot</a>, 4. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/astulabee/3288789260/">woodsy ghost 2/17</a>, 5. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/danitaart/3300097051/">20090218 Me And My Panda Dolls And Box</a>, 6. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/25258999@N08/3261104865/">RedfordKatharine06</a>, 7. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gesah/3303415486/">Trees on Water, Monoprint 3</a>, 8. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/novembermoon/3300806391/">bluebell (doll in progress)</a>, 9. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/14461380@N00/3300174677/">To keep pins and needles safe</a>

with thanks to the artists, artisans and creators for sharing their wonderful work as always.

I have a busy few days for the next few days 'employed-work' wise with various meetings and me leading my first staff training session in one of the care homes I work with - I am so nervous!! However the focus for this 'introduction' is activities to inspire each one of us in our own reminiscing so it will be very activity based and hopefully alot of fun. Although I love working with groups, I get very shaky and nervous when 'presenting' to people - but am hoping that I will gain confidence the more I do - I am not a natural at this atall but as it is part of my job it is something i need to get used to!

I am just off into town now to spend lots of money on props and tools for this and other sessions which I hope to be able to do a post on nearer the end of the week. I am hoping you will recognise some of the things and they may even spark some reminiscing for you too! Unfortunately my studio time will have to wait till the end of the week but I do have some images to show you from last week so will be posting them in the next few days.

Have a wonderful beginning to your week!

Collecting the Past

Collecting the Past, originally uploaded by gilfling.

In reference to my 'exciting news' from my last post which I still had to blog about I thought this was a pretty good image to coincide with this new and incredible opportunity I am soon to embark on.

A wee while ago I had a chat with one of my contract employers about a prospective job which was coming up and I had a meeting about it last week. I am soon to begin a new challenge of managing a pilot scheme, which involves managing reminiscence projects with the elderly. I am so excited/nervous/intrigued all at the same time. It is a year long contract for one and half days a week and will be mainly working with groups of elderly people and liaising with libraries and museums to develop work which is invaluable maintaining and improving physical, emotional and mental health in the elderly. I am so excited!!! (umm did I say that already??)

Although I anticipate a large part of these projects will be arts based (crafts, arts, textiles, writing, poetry) I am also looking forward to gardening, baking, music, costume, photography - the options are endless and I sincerely hope I can bring many of my own skills to this project although my guess is that I am going to learn far more than I impart. It is a huge challenge and although clearly the actual direct work with the elderly is of utmost importance, the other main aim of the scheme is to promote the importance and value of 'reminiscence' to those who work with the elderly on a day to day basis and to almost leave a 'legacy' of work which will carry on way past the actual year long project finishes. I had a moment of crisis last week (I wouldn't be 'me' if I didnt take a wee wobbly and crisis of confidence after all) but after another meeting I really do feel this is for me and I am the 'woman' for the job.

So many of my inspirations for my artwork come from the subject of memory and how our past shapes us as individuals, the way we store our memories away inside ourselves, only to reveal the snippets to certain individuals and at certain times, even to ourselves. Of course it is also a love of history that brought me to study costume design and this love has had a huge impact on my work since graduating. I guess for me also, the importance in taking on this role is in valueing the contribution to society that elderly people can and do make. Now, in the present, and also to our future.

Did I say how excited I am?

It is a funny thing, my career. You know, before and directly after graduating, I had visions of working on small films and building my experience up to hopefully working on bigger films in the hope that I could eventually be more of a costume designer than a wardrobe mistress. I have to confess to still feeling more than a little envious when I see how my fellow graduates are developing their careers either in the world of costume or fashion and what I see as quite glamorous lifestyles!! It has all ended up being very different for me, but you know what, I am a great believer in a path laying itself infront of you and if you follow it, it is undoubtably the right one. I love what I do. I love pottering away and creating in my loft and painting studio. I love working for myself and having periods of working on my own, just creating. But I also love these opportunities which are allowing me to pass on my love of 'creating' and which confirm the importance it has made in my life. I am so grateful for that.

Oh and of course this print is available in my shop