Handcrafting Memories
Did you know that the word souvenir originates from the French word meaning ‘to remember’? Yes, you may roll your eyes at the gift shops scattered throughout the island, all filled with the same keychains and bracelets, but what about making your own object to remember? In every dada-days’ class, you get to create a small memory to have, hold, and proudly bring back home.
These objects transform the ephemeral into the tangible- moulding, fusing, stitching your unique artistry into a materialised memory of your stay in Mallorca.
By being deliberate in our actions, we can attribute special meaning to the objects we create. When we work with our hands, putting effort into producing something uniquely ours, what we create comes to embody a soul of its own. A cup changes into more than just something to drink out of – it reminds us of our own value as its creator and the time it took to craft. When intention is behind the making of something special, it reminds us of our inner artist – something everyone has.
The Ritual of Creativity
At dada-days, we believe that taking the time to make something by hand grounds us in the present. The ritual of artistic creation is a celebration of the here and now. As creativity guides our hand and focuses our attention on a single piece of glass, stitch, or ball of clay, we force our inner critic to take a back seat. The noise of the outside world gets a little quieter, allowing the studio to become a place of self-discovery and a chance to find our own artistic voice.
Something Unique to You
In the artist’s studio or en plein air, we do our best to absorb everything we can. The culture, the sounds, and the feel of the material all contextualise the making of our souvenir. Under the guidance and encouragement of dada-days’ craftswomen, we can give ourselves permission to embrace the imperfect, laugh at our mistakes, and own them proudly as mementos of our personal style and touch. The final works of a dada-days’ workshop come to symbolise more than just their evident form or function – they encapsulate something unique to you.
Whatever you decide to bring home as a souvenir, dada-days’ artisans are here to lend a helping hand.
See you in the studio!
Text: Lucy Ehrlich
