A review of 2021

I was planning to go on an ‘Inspiration Jaunt’ to London today. I decided to cancel after watching last night’s news and hearing the advice from Chris Witty.

Instead, I read Projects 45-65 by Giles. I like his approach (disclaimer: Giles bought me a coffee yesterday) so I thought I’d do something similar and delve through my memories of 2021.

01, changing plans.

Something we have all had to do alot this year. So I miss being inspired in London, but I’m doing this instead. We adapt and we make the best of it. That’s the way it is.

02, they call it work

A few highlights…

I’m very excited about Cassia. They opened their second site in Bradford on Avon this month and I think this is a Very Good Thing for the town.

Lockdown in 2020 meant spending more time on Twitter where I stumbled upon many interesting people including Feasts & Fables. Barrie and JoJo are encouragers. I like knowing people like them. I was honoured to work with them to build their ‘basecamp’.

Twitter also introduced me to the thoughtful Ian Sanders. ‘In search of the light — a trip to reflect and renew’ was one of the best things I read all year. It articulates why ‘inspiration jaunts’ are so important. And one of the best emails I received all year (there’s a theme developing here) was the one he sent asking if I’d be interested in creating his new website. Of course I was.

Saul Leiter is one of the main inspirations on my life. A pioneer in colour photographer who had a view on life that makes me nod. I did something I have never done before and sent a ‘cold’ email to the Saul Leiter Foundation suggesting that it deserved a new website. They said yes.

And they call it work…

03, the monthly jotter

I started an email newsletter eighteen months ago as lockdown took hold. I have continued the discipline of sending them on the last Friday of every month. Each month more people read them and some have sent some lovely feedback which is very gratifying.

04, books

I love looking through photobooks. The Flow of The Lines by Siegfried Hansen, London. 1959 by Sergio Larrain and ONE by Eamonn Doyle made me reach for my camera and go outside. A Wounded Landscape by Marc Wilson profoundly moved me.

Think Like An Artist by Will Gompertz, One + One = Three by Dave Trott and On Connection by Kae Tempest were the books that inspired me to think differently.

05, photos

Taken in Barmouth, Bath, Bradford on Avon, Bristol, Coventry and London.

06, music

My favourite albums of 2021 has it’s very own page.

07, exhibitions

I really missed visiting exhibitions during the various lockdowns. Fortunately, there have been a number of outstanding exhibitions this year to make up for it. All of which have changed the way I think and see.

JR: Chronicles at the Saatchi Gallery started with street art and grew into something much, much bigger.
David Hockney’s The Arrival of Spring at the Royal Academy was the happiest exhibition I've visited in a while.
Stephen Gill’s retrospective at the Arnolfini expanded the boundaries of photography.

2021 in numbers

102 invoices sent

18 new websites launched

11 Monthly Jotters sent, 70% opened

4488 photos taken

13 photos given 5* (by me)

2 talks on creativity

68 albums added to my Apple Music library

2 holidays. 1 in Cornwall and 1 in West Wales.