Jane Crisp- Artist Study

I read an article in Crafts magazine about recent graduate and designer maker Jane Crisp. She uses natural materials like wool and wood and specialises in her own take on hand crafted wooden trugs, ‘amplifying traditional techniques in a contemporary way’. I can draw similarities between her work and my own in that she is also interested in the properties of materials and has always been drawn to working with wood, being fascinated by its ability to bend with steam.

After graduating from Buckinghamshire New University she continued her practice, making in a friends’ carport and then her garden shed. When reading the article I was drawn to her work ethic and her dedication to her practice, working long hours through the winter and saying, ‘I was working outside in the sleet and snow- totally ridiculous. I didn’t make any money but it was worth it’. I admire her dedication to making what she loves, knowing that it wasn’t making any money at the same time. This has caused me to think about to what extent could I carry on making for myself if I knew there was no money in it. I have thought about this in terms of after graduation as I would like to carry on making, however my work needs to be earning me an income and this is unlikely to happen straight away.