Here at our Designs in Mind studio, all year round, our Members focus their creativity and channel their focus into many projects. These projects are based on the themes that we pick for the year such as this year’s theme, ‘Lark.’
Being a Member and attending studio days, got me to thinking that we are very much like Santa’s Grotto, in the North Pole! We work on projects all year round. Perhaps not quite as swiftly as you may see in films such as Elf! Of course, we’re not powered with elf dust. We’re more powered with our kindness, human nature and
creative expression. We plan, work on and create our designs throughout the entire year. We’ve always got our fingers in the ‘mince’ pies. As Members we participate in so many different kinds of projects, this year alone included the Orthopaedic Sculpture, the Redwoods panels, Lark, wooden plaques for murals, working on our layering techniques for next year’s raffle, and soon, the RSPB commission.
For the 4th year running we will make lanterns for Love Oswestry’s Lantern parade, on 22nd February. There will be a programme of free workshops for families to attend, where they can come to the studio, enjoy some creativity, and make their own lanterns to carry. It has been brilliant to see Members making a new style of lantern in the studio this winter, with a series of stars, moons, suns, clouds, and lightening bolts emerging from strips of willow and masking tape. The studio really is busy, all year round.
It was during the creation of our lanterns, that it first came to my attention that our studio was like an elves’ workshop. We were all beavering away on the same thing, yet coming up with very different designs, shapes and ideas.
Designs in Mind also have that real sense of camaraderie and friendship, that I imagine Elves instill into their creativity, where we truly work as a team. We work with great diligence and it brings us all a lot of joy.
What’s really beautiful about working with our artist team, volunteers and other staff members is that there is a very level playing ground with no real hierarchy. We all come together as one, as we roll out the finished products, it is a one heart, one mind process, as we pull together. All ideas are good ideas to share,
kindness and creativity helping us if we are having a hard day.
From the initial ideas our artist teams create for us, to our initial experimentation where we get creative with each new project, there is always a real sense of excitement and high energy, within our studio days.
We don’t have any reindeer, naughty elves on shelves or a list of who has been naughty or nice. We do, however, fly through our work with good humour and spirit. Of course, Members and our staff have their down days too, and then, we’re all there supporting one another. When we need a bit more help or linking forward to another service, the listen and connect team is there. Stuart leads this brilliantly, with new Volunteers coming forward to be part of this team as we move into 2025.
We have a quiet room where we can get a moment of peace, chat to a volunteer, a friend, or a member of staff. Having that chat really helps us to put things into perspective. The quiet room, and the studio, is a space where we can express ourselves and deal with the things that we might need to talk about.
Some of us prefer not to talk, and that’s OK. Just coming into the studio, and being around people working on collaborations and projects throughout the year gives many of us a real sense of purpose and helps us to channel our inner Elves. We find joy in the happiness, that creativity brings.
We do have a few sugary snacks within our kitchen. There are also healthier options available, as we know, this is better for our mental health.
We all like to work to music. At each studio day a list goes round to add songs to a playlist. Although oftentimes, the music is drowned out by the sound of laughter, fun, and merriment.
Being part of something bigger than ourselves, that helps other adults face our mental health challenges, has improved my life and given me such purpose. Writing our blogs, raises my confidence.
As a Member, it has been wonderful having items I’ve created from scratch, such as ceramics, sold in our shop. This is alongside my hand drawn artwork appearing on prints. This has been life affirming. It’s a lasting legacy, which to someone without children, is a really big thing.
Long may Designs in Mind be part of our lives. Wishing everyone a peaceful winter break and looking forward to 2025.
Blog Written & researched by Willow, Social Media Co-ordinator.