Do the Little Things - Jake Lever
Do the Little Things
From November 2020 to the end of 2021 I made a large number of tiny boats from wire, tissue paper and gold leaf. During the pandemic, I sent them to family and friends as tokens of love and affection when face to face meetings were difficult, or impossible. Inspired by St David who urged his followers in 589 AD to "be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things", they formed a kind of silent, wordless communication, from heart to heart. Many others joined in the project, ordered boats from me and sent them by post to their families and friends. About 350 boats were sent around the UK and to destinations across the world, from San Francisco to Santiago, Manhattan to Myanmar.
The next phase
During 2022 I will creating a series of prints and drawings, responding to the shimmering web of human connection created by the giving and receiving of these tiny vessels. As part of this body of work I plan to create a print that will be available for 'Do the Little Things' participants to purchase from our Lever Arts shop if they wish. I will continue to post updates on social media and in the Lever Arts blog.
Video
This video features a conversation between Jake Lever and Dr Paula Gooder, Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral, London, hosted by HeartEdge in May 2021. Jake speaks about the 'Do the Little Things' project in the context of his wider art practice. View the video on Youtube here.