There are days when being an artist feels a lot like being a magician without a wand. You stare at your materials, hoping inspiration will strike, all while your small brown Burmese cat, Sparrow (a.k.a. The Furry Apprentice), yodels at the studio door demanding attention. Meanwhile, your kiln hums ominously empty in the background, and BBE (Best Boyfriend Ever) is off sailing, blissfully unaware of the chaos back home. It’s almost impressive how he manages to dodge every kiln mishap, feline tantrum, and glass-related existential crisis, leaving me to navigate the drama solo. On those days, you might wonder, Why did I choose this life?

The answer, my dear accidental artists, lies in a quote I stumbled upon whilst ogling turquoise glass on the Bombay Sapphire website and wondering if I could persuade them to send me some for free... This gem comes from Baz Luhrmann: "The world is a gallery. If you open yourself to seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary, then the whole world becomes a gallery."

This quote, featured on the Bombay Sapphire website itself, naturally piqued my interest as someone who spends a fair amount of time turning their iconic blue bottles into art. It’s a perfect fit for both their branding and for us artists trying to make the ordinary extraordinary.

Think about that for a second. The whole world as a gallery. Now, if you’re anything like me, your first reaction might be, “Great, so does that mean I need to start dragging my Bombay Sapphire bottles into the wild to ‘find myself’?” Short answer: No. Long answer: Sort of.

Seeing the Extraordinary in the Ordinary

Let’s start with the obvious—life is full of mundane moments. Washing up (aka scrubbing labels off gin bottles), hurling treats at Sparrow before she stages a hunger strike, and dodging broken glass in the studio. But here’s the thing: those moments can spark something magical if you’re paying attention.

Take Sparrow, for example. She’s not just my cat; she’s a performance artist. Her chosen medium? Dramatic yowls, prancing over glass shards like a hot coal-walking ninja, and daring attempts to nap in the hot kiln. To the untrained eye, it’s just a cat being a cat. But to me, Sparrow’s antics are a daily reminder of the power of persistence and curiosity. Whether she’s napping, yowling or somehow managing not to get glass splinters in her paws, she’s fully committed to her craft. That fearless dedication—even if it’s just to being a general menace—inspires me to approach my own art with the same relentless energy and touch of mischief.

Or take the recycled Bombay Sapphire gin bottles I’ve turned into jewellery and bowls. They start their lives as someone’s good night out, bad decisions or unwanted pregnancy, but by the time they’re out of my kiln, they’ve transformed into something beautiful and unique. That is seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary—and then charging for it because art supplies and champagne don’t pay for themselves.

Sunscreen, and Other Wisdom for Artists

Now, let’s circle back to Baz Luhrmann. If you’ve never listened to his iconic song “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen),” stop reading right now and go fix that. It’s packed with nuggets of wisdom that feel as relevant to artists as they do to life in general. Let me break it down for you:

"Don’t worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum."

Translation: Stop obsessing over whether your next piece will sell or if the gallery owner secretly hates you. Instead, trust that your work will find its audience and focus on the joy of creation—it’s the only part you can truly control.

"Do one thing every day that scares you."

Like pricing your work properly. (No, seriously. If you don’t value your art, who will?)

"The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself."

Forget comparing yourself to every artist on Instagram with 10k followers and perfectly curated feeds. Their cat probably doesn’t yodel half as well as yours.

"Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it. It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own."

This one’s for all the glass artists hunched over their workbenches like they’re auditioning for The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Stretch, hydrate, and maybe invest in a chair that doesn’t kill your back.

"Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself. "

Artists often feel they’re either “killing it” or failing spectacularly. Baz reminds us that the real journey is personal. Your work—your voice—is unique, and it’s not a race to the finish line. Envy is every artist’s worst enemy. It’s easy to look at another creator and think, “Why can’t I do that?” Instead, focus on what you can do and let their work inspire, not intimidate.

"Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few, you should hold on."

As artists, it’s vital to cultivate your creative community. The friends who understand the highs and lows of the artistic journey are the ones who will cheer you on, critique your work honestly, and help you find inspiration on the hard days.

"Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly."

Swap beauty magazines for social media, and this advice couldn’t be more relevant. Constantly comparing yourself to other artists’ curated feeds can drain your confidence and stifle your creativity. Stay focused on your own growth and remember that no one’s journey is as perfect as it looks online.

"Remember the compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how."

For artists, this is easier said than done. We tend to fixate on the one person who criticised our work while ignoring the ten who loved it. Keep a folder (digital or mental) of positive feedback to revisit when self-doubt creeps in. And if someone figures out how to forget the insults, let us all know!

"Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do. Some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't."

Many artists, myself included, stumbled into this career by accident. It’s okay to not have it all figured out. Let your passion evolve naturally—the journey is just as important as the destination.

Final Thoughts (and Champagne)

Being an artist isn’t easy. It’s messy, unpredictable, and sometimes downright terrifying. But it’s also full of joy, wonder, and those rare moments when everything comes together perfectly—like the surprise that pops out of the kiln after 24 hours of nail-biting anticipation.

So, take Baz’s advice. Open yourself to seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary. Wear sunscreen if you're ginger and prone to polymorphic light eruption, but otherwise I sincerely believe that human beings should let their wonky bits see the light occasionally... And don’t forget to raise a glass of fizz to your incredible, chaotic, beautiful journey as an artist.

And if you’re ever doubting yourself, remember this: The world is your gallery. It’s not about perfection; it’s about showing up, creating, and sharing your unique perspective. So go on—show the world what you’ve got, one extraordinary piece at a time.