Tell us who you are and what you do?
Heyhey! My name is Esther and I create companions from precious metals, sometimes with a gemstone or two.
I love making friends for your hands and seeing how their characters form as they leave my fingers.
Sometimes my pieces speak to others, who want to give them a new home and make them a longer story.
This to me, feels like magic.
I make and live in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
What are some of your major goals for 2019?
Both personally and professionally?
2018 felt like a very transformative year, in which I had to let go of a few dreams and break my heart open to others.
Curiosity turned out to be my best guide through this process and my goal is to remain curious- as I found that it often leads me to inspiration and joy.
Also, we have to leave our beautiful studio in the historical centre of Utrecht this year. I’m very attached to the space..so another aim is for me to try and let go gracefully while also opening up to the new.
On a lighter note- I definitely want to dance more this year!
How do you plan to accomplish them? Do you have any methods / techniques?
In regards to the dancing- I make seasonal playlists of songs that mean something to me. These lists become little timecapsules that can spark unexpected memories when revisited.
Bed Early- a real challenge, but if I manage to put my inner night owl underneath blankets before 10.30PM, fog clears from my mind.
Keep my eyes peeled and listen closely for whispers- as the muse rarely speaks loudly.
More breathing, less judging.
What is in your Spiritual Toolkit?
Palo Santo- a scent I connect with safety, space, creativity and reverence
Journaling- reserving a daily moment to pay attention (and say thanks) to what inspired, moved or made me wonder me that day.
Sistermuses- there are a few special women in my life that are full of wisdom, honesty and humour. They shimmer with a light that warms, guides and reveals.
A notebook and my favourite fineliner: somehow my first ideas flow best in black ink. I tend to capture on paper quickly, to later sculpt and carve in jewellers wax slowly.
If you believed in past lives what do you think you were or who?
My instincts on this are fuzzy.
Instead, I’d like to share part of a poem from “The great Enigma” by Tomas Tranströmer that resonates with me:
“Sometimes an abyss opens between Tuesday and Wednesday but twenty-six years could pass in a moment.
Time is not a straight line, it’s more of a labyrinth, and if you press close to the wall at the right place you can hear the hurrying steps and the voices, you can hear yourself walking past on the other side.“
It calms me to consider perceiving the dimension of time not as a series of beginnings and endings, but as an ever ongoing middle.
How do you recommend people breaking into the media industry these days?
I don’t know much about these things unfortunately, but did enjoy reading the “Rules for Online Sanity” by Kai Brach and the following advice:
Create the kind of communities and ideas you want people to talk about.
What I enjoy most about (social) media, are the moments of authentic connection. I like to get personal and appreciate others being personal as well. It’s hard to find nuance online, but I think the aim can be to remain kind and honest.
Is their anything you are currently obsessed with?
I have a growing obsession with the colour Blue-
the colour of distance and depth
the colour of longing and melancholy
the colour of calm and clarity
My love for Blue is growing deeper the older I get and gets strengthened by the wisdom of sublime writers like Rebecca Solnit and Maggie Nelson.
If you are open to some azure amour, I really encourage you to read
“A field guide to getting lost” or “Bluets”
Other current obsessions, infatuations and inspirations:
The intimate wisdom and brutal tenderness of how Nick Cave shares and answers in His Red Hand Files
https://www.theredhandfiles.com/
The mind-boggling beautiful and extraordinary art that Paolo del Toro creates:
https://paolopuck.com/
Last year, I discovered Joanna Macy’s translations of Rainer Maria Rilke’s work. It was exciting, healing and deeply hopeful and I've been sharing her interview with Krista Tippett wildly, ever since:
https://onbeing.org/programs/joanna-macy-a-wild-love-for-the-world/
Poetry.
I find daily inspiration through the amazing curators at:
http://whiskeyriver.blogspot.com/
https://riskywiver.blogspot.com/
Also- please come back, POME (thank you Matthew Ogle!)
The Van Gogh Museum made a Podcast, where fragments of Vincent’s letters are shared and mused on by Dutch makers. I loved this series and am still hoping for many more:
https://itunes.apple.com/nl/podcast/van-gogh-belicht-de-brieven/id1441129551?l=en&mt=2
Sadly, the recordings are in Dutch only, but van Gogh's letters can also be found here:
http://vangoghletters.org/vg/letters.html
I’m still so sad that Mary Oliver passed away.
Rereading many of her sensitive writings that touch on connectivity however, filled me with inspiration for the new year and how I would like to keep approaching my work.
Through the soft animal of my body.
xez
Friends for your Hands
Utrecht Studio
Spiritual Toolkit
Blue
Paolo del Toro
