My 'current practice' starts about 4 years ago, when I started working on my graduation project. I was inspired by the architecture and stories in Veenhuizen (a village in Drenthe) and fascinated with the idea of identity related to your surroundings. It started out with just some shapes but turned into an elaborate concept: making a visual language based on architecture. With shapes as letters and grids as grammar, allowing you to make all kinds of unique patterns.
By the time I graduated, the concept was figured out -the playing field was all set up, so to say- but I hadn’t had a chance to really 'play' with it. At the time, I felt I was missing something: some skills and knowledge, but also just a bit of a clear mindspace, in order to be able to continue.
So in the past three years, that’s what I have been doing - a little detour in my 'design path’- to learn new skills and try out different things. I started a tailoring course; which gave a boost to my sewing hobby and my confidence as a designer.
A need for some kind of steady income brought me to an old fabric store on the Albert Cuyp market, where I worked for two years. Working there, helping people with their projects, made me realize what I was missing in my design practice: being in contact with people, having a dialogue, the process and puzzle of finding the perfect solution together, using my skills like a tool in the big picture.
My little detour is bringing me back on a design path, but this time with a clearer mind, an extra set of skills and knowledge. And, most important, a re-found enthusiasm to dive into something exciting. I’m not sure yet what it will be exactly but I can see myself learn, discover and wonder again. And share all these experiences with people who want that same thing and strangers alike.
I don’t want to simply continue what I was doing 4 years ago, but I think it’s useful to pick up some of the main ideas that never really left my mind, built on these foundations and start playing.