It's now November and like the natural world in the northern hemisphere at this time of year I feel like my mind and body want to go into a dormant state, to hibernate. There is a sense that I need to rest, give myself a chance to recover after a chaotic year. I've struggled with getting back into work and trying to figure out what's next in my making. It is in the past week that I realised I have being processing a lot over the past few months; living during a pandemic, finishing a degree during Covid-19 restrictions, saying goodbye to all our animals as we sell up and the death of my grandfather. No wonder my mind cannot focus on making.

Luckily I did return to Crawford college for my glass residency. It has been great to be back in the building, within a making and creativity environment. Granted, seeing others working and being busy has made me guilt trip myself but still I enjoy being there so much. Things will come right, all in good time.

For now, I'm jotting down ideas in my sketchbook, if something pops into my head I type it into my notes on my phone. I take photos if I see objects/colours/patterns that feel important. I recognise that how I'm feeling is something I could focus on in my work. That sense of being lost, unsettled, uncertain could be something to work out. I've looked at notions of place, belonging and identity before, but what if I look at these ideas from a negative angle? Not feeling grounded or settled? Or not being certain of one's identity? An interesting thought for now.

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