Catfacehorse

This is a ring that Owen bought me for my last birthday. It was designed and handcrafted by Dan McGill, a gifted local jeweller. I adore this ring and wear it nearly every day, and I have had it for over six months now. (Check out Dan’s website for some amazing photos of his work, my poor little photo doesn’t do it justice).

Each time I look at this ring I have two thoughts: ‘this a beautiful object’ and ‘Owen gave me this’.  If you think making beautiful things is frivolous, then this is my disproof. Every day for six months I have got pleasure from this object, it has improved a small part of my world in a tangible way.  I deeply appreciate having beautiful things around me, and have started to realise that this isn’t frivolous. In fact, listening to a podcast from Inside Story a while back, I heard Denis Dutton explain how art has been a key part of our evolution (listen here). He argues that the aesthetic urge developed right at the birth of our species and has persisted universally through human cultures.  Whether or not he is correct, it is a good reminder for me that aesthetics are a necessary part of life.