Make, Learn, Repeat!

Jun 13

For as long as I can remember I have made things, as a child this was encouraged but also often necessary. I only learned about the broader value of making things when I started studying a practical course. At school I wasn’t academic; my brain isn’t wired for remembering and regurgitating information, but I was always more engaged when there was a practical element.

Copper bowls, 2020.

Copper bowls hammered from flat sheet.
Image by Scott Murray.

Thinking through making

I am a big believer in learning through making, and it makes sense that the more you practice the same techniques or work with the same materials the more knowledgeable you become. I have learned so much about myself as a maker since I began teaching jewellery and craft workshops at Studio Budgie Galore. Students often come to class with an idea that they would like to realise and become frustrated when it doesn’t go to plan first time. This often leads them to wanting to make something different for the next project, essentially starting again from scratch. I totally understand this and I often flit from one idea to the next; it is really hard to focus on one idea for a length of time, especially if it goes wrong. However every time you make something new, you have another set of problems to solve instead of improving on what you have already learnt.

A few years ago during some research I came across Freidrich Froebel a 19th century German educator who was best known for inventing kindergarten. He believed that children had unique needs and capabilities and the best way for them to learn was play and experiencing their surroundings. This is probably one of the most important things that we often lose sight of into adulthood. I was reading about this whilst doing my MA project and found the Froebel star (above), also known as Advent star and many other names. It is a 3-dimensional star made from four equal strips of paper, which are folded and woven together. I was in need of a distraction from writing so decided to have a go as I have always loved origami. The first 3 attempts were wrong or different from the intended but I kept trying until I got it right. Eventually I made quite a lot using old magazine pages and really enjoyed the process/distraction, but more importantly I had quickly acquired this tacit knowledge for how to make them.

Why not have a go yourself?

I now don’t have a clue how I made them and would need to go back to the instructions and possibly fail a few times before getting it right again. This reinforces the case for learning how to make anything skilfully…Make, Learn, Repeat!

I have had this conversation about repetitive making or ‘practice makes perfect’ a lot recently, with myself and with other makers and students. I have gone through phases of making similar pieces with my small decorative metal objects or spoon earrings, just changing small details each time. Through the repetition of making I have a deeper understanding of the materials and processes but also the knowledge to develop this further. I have long admired the work of artist/writer/potter Edmund De Waal, who practices this repetitive making of very similar porcelain vessels, I particularly love the way he curates and displays these pieces.

in C, 2015135 porcelain vessels in an aluminium and plexiglass vitrine  111 × 170 × 13.5 cm.Image taken from website. Edmund de waal — *in C, 2015*
135 porcelain vessels in an aluminium and plexiglass vitrine
111 × 170 × 13.5 cm.
Image taken from website. Edmund de waal

I have been working on more commissioned pieces over the last year and many of these have been completely new projects that I have learnt a great deal from. I hugely value these experiences and they often lead to new skills and ways of working. However I have been yearning for some time to be able to really develop my hammer skills, the thing I am most passionate about and want to be able to pass on to others. I am so thankful to have two commissions at the moment that are helping toward this development in very different ways and I hope to share soon.