This year so far I’ve taken time out ‘business as usual’ of my practice to enable me to revise a more sustainable way of working - this was entirely enabled by a professional development grant from Arts Council of Wales.

This time has allowed me to breathe and explore new ways of working and sharing (like this newsletter!) without the pressure of constantly having to deliver work for social media and advertise myself.

What I’m finding so far is that - yeah, the feeling of being on a constant treadmill of making and performing to try and grab at every opportunity was making me feel like shit!!! (surprise surprise) and stopping feels great!

I’ve allowed cracks in my practice that let the light in, let softness, and slowness in. I feel so much more at ease with my relationship with making (now just working on getting some ease with sharing the work lol) - i’m excited to try new things instead of feeling like I have to deliver the same type of work over and over because it’s what is expected.

Currently:

• I’ve signed up for a pottery class in September, and a silversmithing class in January. I’m trying completely new things!! in totally different mediums!! my practice so far has been me making things up, which has been great, but I want to learn some like, actual craft skills from an actual teacher and not just wrestle with cardboard in my own weird way.

• I’ve ditching acrylic paint in my practice (its AWFUL for the environment) - which has totally shifted the way I make - I can no longer create HUGE things in a way that is inexpensive and quick.

• I’m letting go of the “Ren Wolfe” identity (I mean, artistically, I’ve not dumped my whole personality lol) . I’ve loved the work I’ve made thus far, but also, I’ve felt really beholden to it. I never really felt like I got a lot of time to explore what I wanted to make, I sort of accidentally became a “professional” artist too quick and then I felt stuck to it. maybe i’ll meander off and come back to it, maybe i’m waving goodbye and going off to make something totally different. most likely something in between. an evolution??? yes. that one.

• whilst I am expecting to sell things again in the near(ish) future, I dont feel like I have to create create create to sell right now, so i’m exploring in lots of little directions and baybeee it’s CHILL

• what im working on feels much more aligned with what I give a shit about IRL - soil, food security, community, gardening, BEES - and not like a floating Art Island that is separate from the rest of my life

  

• ive been relatively offline and thus have become a bit of a cultural hermit and I am really enjoying it (I am getting all celebrity death news second hand through family and friends). i’m trying to toe the line to see how much I need to be online, like, I like having an online space to update, but it takes time away from - ya know - living. so??? idk.

• I was chatting to my amazing access coach (as part of my ACW project) about the frequency with which I write this newsletter/update my website and she very rightly pointed out that - no one is waiting for it with baited breath! I think social media (and capitalism baybeeee) did such a number on my brain that I still feel like I have to DELIVER ALL THE TIME and then I get in a cycle of getting exhausted, then hiding, then feeling guilty. so this is me saying, oh hey again, i’m here. I’m not sure what this space is. maybe it will be LONG and QUARTERLY. maybe it will be SHORT and INFORMAL and FREQUENT. I dont know. im making no promises to myself or anyone else because it doesnt matter! wooohooo!

UPCOMING! UPCOMING! UPCOMING!

As part of my ACW project I’m organising a couple of creative get-togethers IRL. an experiment in creating community offline!

the first one will be at Chapter (cardiff) on Sunday 27th September (11am-1pm)

the second one is at The Waterfront Museum (Swansea) on Saturday 24th October (11am-1pm)

the groups are open to all, an im trying my best to create an environment that is inclusive to all my queer, neurodiverse, disabled pals. as a parent im also trying to foster an environment that is COOL with that so if you’ve got a kid you need to bring, BRING THEM! (it’s not like, a kiddos thing, but if dont not come because youve got the kid with you, just bring the kid.)

I will provide, like, real posters and more info at the start of September.

thank you for being here, I love you all very much. here’s a random meme because this email is pretty much all text and that is TOO DULL. kiss kiss kiss