Finding Rest in the Making

How hands-on creativity brings calm in busy times

It’s been an intense couple of weeks with gearing up for the festival and simultaneously getting the gallery into shape to be ready for October. My house has turned into a storage unit of frames, furniture and now, all the items that will be needed at the festival, and I can barely see my beautiful hallway anymore for bookcases and baskets.

It’s exciting times as well. Last week, Carien Borst, who will be leading art sessions at the festival this year, and her family came to have a holiday in Harris and stayed in Geocrab. Her husband, Hans, is a builder, and I was barely able to contain my excitement when he offered to help a little. Their sons pitched in cheerfully and willingly as well, and I had a hanging system, skirting boards and a newly levelled floor in no time. The walls had just been painted with help from my neighbour Tricia, and so now it’s starting to look like a beautiful space.

The floor had been a last-minute decision, so I had few materials in, but Hans managed to level it as though that was nothing, and we chatted about either laying vinyl afterwards or painting it. But when I opened the door the next morning, I was greeted with beautiful swirling colours on soft browns and creams that reminded me of the sand on the island’s beaches. It was more than the gorgeous colours and patterns, though; the floor holds a memory of a day when I was helped and supported, and that feels woven through those creamy patterns. I have managed to seal it and maintain the texture and patterns. I am calling it Hans’s cement art, and it will remain forever part of the gallery now.

My aim is to have the gallery ready for the festival attendees in October, but then I will reopen properly in the spring of 2026 to the public.

I have been working so hard on organising timings and details ahead of the festival this week that I forgot to do the things I tell others to do for their well-being. Sometimes, as much as we know what’s good for us, we can get caught up in the busy-ness of work.

This week, I have organised many of the details that an event of this scale needs, such as precise timings and locations, meal planning, and also receiving safely almost 70 images from attendees to go on exhibition during the festival. I also met with the lovely Holly Surplice from Lewis, who will be coming along to give us a talk about her new book. There are now just over 13 women and 5 men leading and speaking at the festival. All talented and interesting people coming together to inspire others, and I feel humbled to bring them together.

On Saturday afternoon, I realised that I was overtired, slightly grumpy and low in mood and couldn't figure out how to get out of it. It came to me whilst I was slowly making a border for my built-in bookcase out of edging strips. Slowly ….. because I don’t really know how to mitre joints so they fit well together. But as I was slowly sanding down the bits that didn’t quite fit perfectly with background music playing in the gallery, I began to realise that the act of physically making was actually making my mood lift and mind ease.

It hit me - so maybe what I need to do is to have a break, time away from the computer and the intense brain work and let the body and mind be creative or restful. Rest comes in different forms, and it’s not always doing nothing. In its extreme form, there is a name now,“Bed Rotting” suggesting staying in bed, napping, scrolling and watching TV for long periods of time. I have nothing against resting at all and definitely love a nap and a good Netflix show, but the question is whether that regenerates and truly makes the body feel rested or not. For me, it’s a balance, and sometimes I need a few hours of complete body and mind shut down, but that needs to be gently balanced with the feeling of purpose, inspiration, and creativity to make me feel truly rested. Creative people aren’t meant to sit behind computer screens all day, and for me, that is when I get truly tired to the core - we are meant to walk, think, create to feel alive and rested.

I went inside after finishing my bookcase frame and began mounting some new “tiny art” prints. The joy and the satisfaction of sitting mounting inks and paintings that I made a while ago and bringing them to finished products was just immense. There is joy in creation, but also in making, finishing, building, and polishing; all forms of making are mindful acts that absorb the mind and take it away from focusing on life’s problems.

And so, I will leave you with a new habit of mine in my never-ending search for a comforting hot drink that doesn’t have lots of sugar in it.

Golden Milk Latte

I use Plenish Almond Milk, but you can use any milk

1 tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp ginger

Pinch pepper

Maple Syrup/ Date Molasses/ Vanilla essence or any sweetener

Sprinkling of Cinnamon

Simply warm gently in a pan on the stove

As ever, thanks for reading

Margaret x

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Upcoming Retreat & Workshop Spaces:

Day photography workshop with Jamea Kelly, Harris - 3rd or 4th Oct 2025

Long Exposure morning photography workshop with Margaret Soraya - 3rd Oct 2025

Writing workshop with Emma Simpson, Harris - 5th Oct, 2025

South Wales Writing Retreat with Sean Tucker - 31st Oct - Nov 6th 2026