Pomegranates and Sketchbooks - Join Me on a Creative Learning Journey

The Pomegranate © Cherry Jeffs 2020
Mixed-media. Approx 13.2cm x 13.7cm x 13.7 cm

A pomegranate.

​How did I go from buying one in my local Devon greengrocers, to making an artist’s book based on the Persephone myth?

And what did it have to do with feeling homesick for my ‘other home’ in southern Spain?

Just what is the story behind The Pomegranate?

It's an interesting, layered story. Rich in imagery and steeped in allegory. Yet too long for a blog post and too short for a book.
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But what if I could offer you a space in which to really dig deep into the insights into my creative process?
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The story behind a finished artwork

When you look at photos of the finished piece, what do you see?

A shiny three dimensional object in the shape of a pomegranate.

You can also see that it opens to reveal seeds on one side and two bird-women embedded on the other - one dark, one light.

You don’t see the work by other artists that inspired me.

Or the myths I read.

You don’t see the starts and stops, the weird synchronicities that drove the direction.
Or the things that went wrong along the way and which I either corrected or decided to live with.

There’s no clues as to why I decided to embed those figures inside. Or what their significance is.

And yet for every single artwork, I generate a ton of background documentation. Once the project is over, it sits gathering dust in my physical and digital sketchbooks.

So I’m excited to try something a little different in 2020. A new way to recreate the intimate relationship I had with you when I started blogging nearly 20 years ago. A way to share the behind-the-scenes process of creating my art. Something uniquely personal. Yet full of ideas and inspiration for everyone engaged in the creative process - or, indeed, in life itself.
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That’s why I’m offering a new, sketchbook subscription.

Sketchbook page with ideas for The Pomegranate artist's book © Cherry Jeffs 2020

The Sketchbook Subscription: Revealing the hidden process

​For each art project I’ll share with you a customised digital sketchbook to ‘have and hold’ - at least virtually!

You’ll receive a sketchbook brimming with rich visual documentation of the creative process. 
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You’ll also get multi-media journeys into the stories behind the work. Much more in-depth than the limited versions I share on social media or this blog! 

1. Sketchbooks. A set of beautiful digital sketchbooks showing the development of my ideas. The journey from the initial idea to the finished piece. There will be editions that focus on the latest pieces as well as retrospective editions. (It’s often easier to make sense of a creative trajectory when it’s complete!)
2. Journal Jottings. You’ll be able to read exclusive notes about my process. (I used to write this in blogposts. But the demands of Google search make this difficult these days.)
3. Studio ‘Visits’. This could get quite exciting as - after being very sedentary over the last year - I’m planning some country-hopping going forward! I’ve learned to continue my creative work in diverse - and often very small (!) spaces. Come with me into my different workspaces via videos or snatches of audio.
4. Audio Musings. My best insights into the creative process come when I’m working on my art - not surprisingly! I’ll be sharing these spontaneous creative thoughts and reflections via short voice recordings.
5. Exciting extras. Who knows what other bits I might throw in as well? Maybe some limited edition postcards direct to your door…we’ll see! 

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Go on a learning journey with these sketchbooks

​This is a unique opportunity to follow the fascinating process of how I develop each piece, step by step.

These digital sketchbooks will be the closest thing to being in the studio with me while I’m working on my art!

If you love my art, the subscription will help you understand much more about it. 

Or if you want to improve your own creative process, this deep-dive into mine will give you invaluable insights. 
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And, of course, when you buy a subscription you'll be supporting me in continuing to make the work. And making a small artist very happy!
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First sketchbook free to subscribers

I want to say a BIG thank you to all of you who've stayed with me on this sometimes rocky journey over the years. To show my appreciation, I’d like to give you the first sketchbook for free.
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​Click the button to get access to the first sketchbook!

I WANT A FREE SKETCHBOOK