Paper short abstract:

Can the process and practice of making craft contribute to generating knowledge by connection through intimate exploration of embodied experience? Does the poêsis, praxis and technê of making craft bring awareness an to inner wisdom and what implications might it have on our well-being?

Paper long abstract:

Craft Practice: Making a Life.

This talk, alongside a small exhibition of work and practice based workshop examines art and recovery as knowledge-generating processes through the

reflective observation of making craft, the internal personal journey, potential encounter with training analogous with a contemplative meditation practice from its roots within Buddhism. What implications could this have for well- being? What does the meta praxis of making, the awareness, attention, focus, creativity, motivation and intentionality required as a maker, alongside embracing the materiality, tools and physicality all have for accessing and developing a kind of knowledge and mindful practice which allows us to connect, understand and nurture our innermost being? Can we use this potential as makers to be more aware of our mind; to help understand ourselves; connect to a conscious growth within ourselves, whilst acknowledging our fragility, resilience and intimate relationship to the teachings encountered from within.

What does the process of story, creativity, encounters with skill, playfulness, satisfaction all contribute to who we are, our community, our awareness, our gifts.

I will contribute a workshop of a practice, where participants are engaged in making. We can examine these ideas through process, resulting in a finished simple piece of work.

I will lead the workshop while discussing these ideas accompanied by my own exhibits and short film of practice. My own practice is that of a jeweller, I will bring journals, drawings, bowls and brooches to illuminate the narrative of the benefits of the interconnected processes encountered within making.