Hannah Morrow is a British maker who lives in LA. She makes beautiful, functional pots under "H for Hannah", in gorgeous, saturated colours. Simple forms with presence. Hannah came to me at the end of last year and we’ve been working together ever since, drilling into her process and what moves her.
Now before I continue I must be clear, Hannah has kindly given me permission to feature her in my “Spotlight on Coaching” this quarter. I normally wait until a process has finished before I feature someone, but Hannah’s has been so rich – so far – I felt compelled to talk about her now.
Hannah’s process typifies the importance not only of story, but of locating what it is in one’s story that really impacts on the work. Hannah has always loved colour – colour has been a constant presence, both physically and emotionally – and her work has always expressed this in different intensities of hue. It also expresses family history and the need for the voice of generations of women to be heard. Hannah’s overarching quest has been to speak authentically though her work, and boy does she!
We often “speak” despite ourselves, not knowing the deeper currents within that prompt and drive us. This is fine, but there is a fundamental, abiding magic in locating from where these impulses stem, how they spread mycellium-like through our lives and how eventually they break forth in the work we create. To locate these forces, to acknowledge them and to honour them, is to make work with ever greater depth and pieces that communicate with a more profound power.
This is what is involved in coaching, where coach and coachee don diving helmets and explore the depths of a maker’s creativity. Believe me, it is in diving so deep that the greatest treasures are found.
Hannah’s work can be seen here.
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