The Christmas season should be uplifting and joyful and a time of warm hugs and celebrations, but as we’re all too keenly aware, that hasn’t been allowed for some time now.
Will gets a bit despondent about the world at this time of year and especially in this weird covid cloak of doom that we’re all being stifled by, so my constant optimism and hope for a jolly Christmas is a huge source of irritation. His sanctuary and antidote to this is the workshop, where he can get on making the best pieces of glass ever.
He’s told me he can count on one hand, maybe two at a push, the pieces he’s made that he’s truly, absolutely and 100% satisfied with – and that this year, on December 4th to be precise, he made one of those pieces.
It’s a bowl but not just any bowl. It feels right, looks right, and is what I would describe as a thing of the utmost beauty. It’s been on the workshop bench with a few others for all that time, and I’ve now realised that this is what Will does with pieces he’s not sure he wants to sell.
I guess when you’ve made something to the standard that’s damn near perfect it must be pretty hard letting go.
So the decision he now faces is whether or not he does.
There’s also a perfect bowl #2. Just when he thought it couldn’t get any better, Will tried his luck, and guess what? Now he has two pieces of perfection.
For Will these pieces are priceless. Because his own standards are so very high, his perfection is like twice normal-person perfect.
The good news for us all is that when two isn’t enough, you should make six.
And yes, those other four are available to buy.
The first two may be on the workshop bench for eternity, they may languish in Will’s pension fund, or they may be gifted to a lucky family member.
But for now at least, before he gets bored of them and decides they could be better, they will be a highlight of Will’s year.
When something’s that good, it probably needs a proper name as well. He’s gone with Bear Bowls. We don’t know why. Perhaps it’s something to do with Goldilocks and the three bears; but one thing I do know is they’re definitely not named after Bear Grylls. Sorry Bear.
The four bowls up for sale in the gallery are also currently available to buy online - just visit the link here.
That’s not to say that Will won’t change his mind though. So don’t think about it for too long if you love them as much as we do.