Composite in it’s inclusions this assisted the need for ideas in order to simplify the making of my future staffs for my ceramic characters. This particular staff held various little pieces of collected flotsam and jetsam found over years. An example of items and little inclusions to remember and seek for to add to a variety of found driftwood, knurled/gnarled ivy or moss ridden forestry small branches/twigs/sticks.  I would use very much simpler versions than this one here to accompany the different characters made in my mystikal and mythological ceramics days. 

Travellers, storytellers, shamans, rune readers, faerie, warriors, etc. It was fun finding jewellery to pull apart, beads, old raggedy hessian, torn leathers, verdigris copper to spiral, rusty or vintage small engineering/plumbing/electronic/electrical bits and bobs, rusted tin, etc to weave over and into these staff/walking-travelling aids as adjunct pieces. Sometimes pyrography was used on the staff to provide small ‘burnt in’ considered thoughts, patterns or emblems. 

People used to ask for these on their own too. I didn’t pursue the making of just these alone really. I would oblige from time to time. One lady said that she wanted one to wave at the monsters hidden in places they had no right to belong. To remove and banish them out of the house. I realised she wanted a ‘A Piece that could provide Faerie Magic with Clout’. I said these weren’t it! I made her one anyways. If it worked? It was herself providing the necessary magic involved. Nothing to do with a few beads, leathers and twirling bits I shoved onto the wand! I’m no Garrick Ollivander. 

However! Do I believe in the ancient mythologies of past times? Having met many interesting people who have spoken of ’The Way of Wyrd’ and other spiritual ideologies, I believe there is much for myself to try to read about and understand within all life’s mysteries. Not a mystery to those who believe with such inherent spiritual vision. Also the similarities that ‘wisdom’ alongside what is considered ‘magical’ is found in a number of different cultures. This ensures that I cannot simply smile and brush aside what are considered sacred beliefs. Holistic Healing Beliefs hold as much, if not more, in found, tried, tested and trusted ancient knowledge as it does in the perceived all seeing/all knowing scientific/experimental modern research.

My little additions to the ceramics are simply artistry. Simply an adjunct to enhance the storytelling. The poetry of imagery. Making them alone would be wrong. Yes! Nice to look at. But not stand alone entities. Their own story belonged to their owner. The ceramic character. Didn’t want a conveyor belt of producing imagery weakened by the need to ‘get them out there’. As said. The story of these staffs were inter-woven and inter-linked with the ceramic figures’ own stories. In effect. They completed their stories holistically. 

Here in the photographs? One that has stuck around for 30 plus years. Little things get added from time to time. Not much at all, if anything, since 20 years back I believe. Something is telling me to look for another fine looking piece of gnarled wood and begin another. Why? Well you have to have something to do don’t you?

Tap on the photographs to enlarge.