Independents' Day

Jul 4

Independents’ Day

So today is July 4th. Independence day! But I would like to borrow this occasion and celebrate two causes that are close to my heart!

Independent thinking

Craft Box Club is all about celebrating how creative we can all be! We give you the tools and the inspiration to get started but want every person to make something that is completely unique to them! Since setting up Craft Box Club, just over the last few months I’ve seen people use my kits to make completely different things. It’s incredible what comes out of our brains and it’s important for our mental health and our very human nature that we get to express ourselves!

Making art, whatever that is for you, is an incredible way to express our independence and our unique spirit. I discover more and more each day that we all have such unique experiences of life and different ways of seeing the world. It’s valuable, in whatever way you can, to get that out of your head and document is in some way. Although our brain is incredible and can dream up such complex thoughts and feelings that does not mean that you have to be technically skilled to get something down on a page, canvas, tile, piece of fabric, whatever. You can portray so much in the mix of colours, use of texture, layout or setting.

I was lucky enough to be able to go to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London last week. The walls of 6 or 7 massive rooms were completely covered in art. Not to mention the floor! What a mix of styles. I’ve to shared some of my favourites at the bottom of the page. Although I’m sure they all show incredible technical skill, they feel achievable and help me remember that art isn’t all about just accurately representing something, it can be about communicating an idea or a feeling.

Independent Businesses

Independent thinkers run independent businesses. Over the past few months I’ve been able to meet and work with some of my favourite independent businesses from across Reading and Berkshire. It has been a pleasure to meet such a creative bunch of people who are really passionate about what they do! Today is a great day to celebrate them. So please think about supporting one of them. Even if it’s just a small purchase, it can mean a huge amount to an indie. If the world could be more full of people doing what they are really passionate about then it would be a better place!