Blog

by Shelley Kerr

I am often asked “Where do I get my ideas?” The answer, “It depends.” Sometimes, it is a request from someone—a commission. So it is their idea and I’m tasked with interpreting it. Sometimes ideas come to me from experiences, from my environment, from other artists. And sometimes, ideas come to me from my dream life.

How do I know that it is a creative project for me? Eventually, I arrive at a place of knowing, of calm. It is a quiet place and I know that I can and should commit myself, my talents and my time to it.

"The task of creative work is to weave something new and wonderful

out of the tattered threads of culture and convention."  

Maria Popova

That’s what happened in the genesis of the Nebra Sky Disk project. You could call it a “stream of consciousness” over a period of time that started with a dream about the 7 Sisters star formation—The Pleiades. Well THAT got my attention! Within a week of this dream, I ran into a painting of Vincent van Gogh’s that I had never seen before. It was the Starry Night over the Rhone and it had 7 stars in the sky—the 7 Sisters! It was a sign!

Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night Over the Rhone

Special embarrassing note: As it turned out, van Gogh’s seven stars actually depicts Ursa Major…the Great Bear. Ok, my muses do not reflect an exact science.

Within another week while perusing a nearby book store, I found a huge beautiful book, Big History and knew I had to have it for my home. The leading plate in the book was the Nebra Sky Disk, which among other things holds a representation of the Seven Sisters. This one I got right!

There was that sense of calm…of knowing…of engagement.

LDA Sachsen-Anhalt (Photo by Jaraj Liptak)

Halle State Museum of Prehistory, Germany

"Creativity involves not only years of conscious preparation and training

but unconscious preparation as well."  

 Oliver Slacks

What I bring to the table are skills, experience and the willingness to play--to jump into the unknown and puzzle it out. To allow for the conscious and sub-conscious magic to unfold.

The result?

The Nebra Sky Disk Series

The initial dream about the Seven Sisters star formation has lead me to a creative series around this idea…could be bronze, glass or steel…could be up to 4-5 pieces in this series. I have some serious play ahead of me!

Known as the Nebra Hoard: included the Sky Disk, swords, chisels, axeheads and bracelets.

All from the same location and era: 1600 BCE.