Dollhouses and electric trains are much in evidence at this time of year....little evocations of home and landscape that are beguiling and nostalgic. Models and miniatures make it possible to create places that please us on a completely controllable scale. So much of our larger world seems to be out of our control, acting upon us without being apparently affected by anything we do. On a global scale we have definitely altered the earth profoundly, but individually this is sometimes hard to see, or seeing, change. Even home, that place most our own, can be difficult to draw around ourselves completely.
The table is a place in the real world that can be made to suit ourselves, like the miniature landscapes in a train layout. It is constricted enough in size and useage to feel controllable. Within the conventions and practicalities of table setting it is possible to create a location that welcomes us and our guests and encourages the connections for which we are always searching. Unlike a model, which once made is done, the table must be re-made over and over. Each meal that is served can be an opportunity to enfold ourselves in a place of beauty and comfort, face to face with the people of our own choosing. As someone who feels the power of places, the table gives me the chance to engage with my surroundings and offer the result to the people I love.