I can't wait to see your work on this. Beauty for its own sake is so important and so healing. It makes me want to see where I can add non-utilitarian loveliness to my life.
On the subject of beauty, I'm interested to hear some ways that you already add beauty in your life? I used to pursue beauty for its own sake as a child/teenager but lost the joy of it after years of chronic illness and depression -- I wonder if hearing how others surround themselves with beautiful things might inspire me to delight in beauty again.
That's a good question. I had to put some thought into it.
First, I went pretty hard on the Marie Kondo method of cleaning when it first became popular, and I've kept those lessons as best I can. I cleared out the rubble, and that allowed me to see the beloved but buried beauty already in my home (painted teacups, flower print dresses, etc). Now, when I buy an item, I try to make sure it's beautiful, which for me is anything that suggests the antique or the natural (all the better if it actually is antique or natural). This isn't always doable, but the smallest effort makes a difference.
Your question has inspired me, and now I may have to write a post on this subject. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing, Jennifer! The rule of 'antique or natural' is a super good one, I hope you can expound on this more in a post as I for one would like to hear more about it (and on the relationship between beauty and creativity...)
Words to live by. Whatever our circumstances, beautifying our surroundings, even by the addition of a single flower, or exercising the ability to see the beauty already present, will have a healing effect.
I can't wait until you share more! I'm looking forward to seeing what the painting press looks like. I'm also interested in attempting fore-edge painting, but there's also the problem of too many projects ...
I'll definitely take a photo of the press and share some of the designs that my dad used as inspiration. Haha, I feel you there! The world is just full of too many exciting things and one wants to try as many of them as possible.
For sure! It really adds unique value to already-beloved books and heirlooms -- not just value in monetary terms, but incalculable value in beauty, wonder, and delight... my greatest wish one day would be to add the Four Gospels to a Bible fore-edge.
I can't wait to see your work on this. Beauty for its own sake is so important and so healing. It makes me want to see where I can add non-utilitarian loveliness to my life.
On the subject of beauty, I'm interested to hear some ways that you already add beauty in your life? I used to pursue beauty for its own sake as a child/teenager but lost the joy of it after years of chronic illness and depression -- I wonder if hearing how others surround themselves with beautiful things might inspire me to delight in beauty again.
That's a good question. I had to put some thought into it.
First, I went pretty hard on the Marie Kondo method of cleaning when it first became popular, and I've kept those lessons as best I can. I cleared out the rubble, and that allowed me to see the beloved but buried beauty already in my home (painted teacups, flower print dresses, etc). Now, when I buy an item, I try to make sure it's beautiful, which for me is anything that suggests the antique or the natural (all the better if it actually is antique or natural). This isn't always doable, but the smallest effort makes a difference.
Your question has inspired me, and now I may have to write a post on this subject. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing, Jennifer! The rule of 'antique or natural' is a super good one, I hope you can expound on this more in a post as I for one would like to hear more about it (and on the relationship between beauty and creativity...)
This reminds me of a William Morris quote:
“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
Ooooo, thank you for sharing!! I'm going to tuck this away into my memory.
Words to live by. Whatever our circumstances, beautifying our surroundings, even by the addition of a single flower, or exercising the ability to see the beauty already present, will have a healing effect.
I can't wait until you share more! I'm looking forward to seeing what the painting press looks like. I'm also interested in attempting fore-edge painting, but there's also the problem of too many projects ...
I'll definitely take a photo of the press and share some of the designs that my dad used as inspiration. Haha, I feel you there! The world is just full of too many exciting things and one wants to try as many of them as possible.
Bless you, that would be much appreciated!!
I got to see a disappearing fore edge painting in my library's special collections, so excited to see where this goes!
That's so cool! Could you tell me about the book, and what the artist had painted on it?
I'm very excited to see the results of the edge painting! If it works out I've definitely got some treasured volumes you could enhance.
For sure! It really adds unique value to already-beloved books and heirlooms -- not just value in monetary terms, but incalculable value in beauty, wonder, and delight... my greatest wish one day would be to add the Four Gospels to a Bible fore-edge.