Author Jane Brocket didn’t find affirmation for her love of the “gentle arts” until she started her blog, .
It quickly gained international popularity, which empowered Brocket to embrace the pleasure of domestic arts. The blog also resulted in her new book, “The Gentle Art of Domesticity: Stitching, Baking, Nature, Art & the Comforts of Home” ($35, Stewart, Tabori & Chang).
The Denver Post recently reached this multi-tasking mother of three on the telephone at her home in Berkshire, England.
Q: What prevented you from indulging in domesticity before starting your blog in February 2005?
A: I was stuck in dry, quiet libraries studying for my Ph.D. on Charles Dickens and trying to take care of my family when I realized I needed a break. I always found this schism in my soul. I had been brought up to work hard, but I was discovering this inner conflict between my creative side and my academic side. I had always loved knitting and baking, but academics was more accepted in my society.
Someone who is enjoying the simple pleasures of life was thought to be lazy and anti-feminist in the ’70s when I was growing up. It was expected that I would go out into the workplace. There was never any discussion of how I could combine domestic homemaking with the workplace.
Q: Did the women’s movement go too far in downplaying the importance of domesticity?
A: I think it did almost go too far by undervaluing things that were deemed creative or domestic. I wasn’t allowed to do any of the things I wanted to do like growing things in the garden. I was embarrassed by it. I wouldn’t tell anyone I loved those things because of the expectations. It was a secret.
Q: So why did you start blogging?
A: I was looking for some yarn online when I came across my first knitting blog. It made me think about what I might write about my own knitting experiences and how I would articulate something I so enjoy doing. So I started my blog. I had to have photos to show my readers what I was talking about, so my husband gave me his cast-off camera and I started taking pictures.
Just planning my blog and how I would do things was enjoyable. It allowed me to take the time to express myself and share it with other people without being embarrassed. I had finally found a community.
Q: Explain the title of your new book.
A: I came across the words “the gentle art” in a 19th-century literature book. I love reading domestic period novels about homemaking and how families lived their lives. I’m fascinated by what went on behind closed doors. I saw paintings of women’s pastime activities including stitching, lace-making, crocheting and other things ladies would do at home. I thought it was a lovely phrase, and I didn’t want my book to seem bossy. I wanted it to celebrate and encourage other people to do the things they enjoy doing without the hang-ups about having to be perfect when doing it. If you enjoy it, it should be a pleasure, not a chore. You shouldn’t have to be worried about whether it’s perfectly done or what other people think about how you chose to spend your time.
I don’t judge anybody if they don’t like (the domestic arts). I just want to encourage others to enjoy the process and see these things as outlets for a creative spirit. Enjoy the fact that you’ve just made something from scratch.
Sheba R. Wheeler: 303-954-1283 or swheeler@denverpost.com
