One of my ways to get started on new creative work is to organise materials, bits and pieces, which have no particular meaning, into some sort of visual order. One example being my three dimensional sketches. Another one is my collection of rocks. I’m completely besotted with rocks and minerals, their texture and beauty. And since mandalas are such a centering concept, I often focus myself by making a stone mandala, always a different one. Each stone takes its own place and the feeling is exactly identical to what it is like to put together a book – fitting together various textural and visual elements until it all “clicks”. Just with stones the process is much easier and is therefore the perfect way to release me into making freely. (Sept09)