"It is easy to feel that we are surrounded by despair and deep sadness with turmoil, war, political unrest and hardship. I want to challenge this perception... As human beings, we have a natural tendency to counter-balance this through optimism, love and an endless capacity for joy. Even in the hardest times, we pause in our lives and generate moments of happiness through the act of celebration. It reinforces our sense of connection to each other and reminds us of the stories which define our families, communities or nations. This can involve regular rituals; gatherings of friends to share food, music and dancing; costumes, masks and decoration, and objects and artworks which provide a focus for our feelings. Celebration can be based around religious beliefs, life milestones like birth or marriage, achievement of goals or simply pleasure in the positive experiences of life." https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1006261405/objects-of-celebration Claire Heminsley is hoping to explore the theme Objects of Celebration in more depth culminating in a solo show at The Studio Pavilion, House for an Art Lover in Glasgow next September. "My main aim in doing this is to challenge the perception that we are going to hell in a handcart!" The project will involve talking to people from different backgrounds and communities about their approaches to celebration, exploring customs and celebratory objects. "I hope to uncover the unusual, the funny, the beautiful, and the poignant. I will then use this research to generate artwork, which pulls together common themes and conveys the delight of celebration as a human activity." Support Claire's project by donating to her kickstarter fund.