Why Naming a Show Is Hard

Mood: Gentle pondering | Post Type: Behind the Scenes | Weeks Until Show: 31

Back to the drawing board

When I booked my solo show back in July 2025, I originally titled it Devon Light – A Search for Place. At the time it seemed to fit, but I was always conscious that it wasn’t quite right. Over the last few weeks I’ve found myself back at the drawing board, knowing that I’ll soon need to be able to clearly say what this exhibition is about — not just for myself, but for social media, flyers, and (if I finally pull my finger out) approaching Devon Life and Dartmoor magazine.

From searching to belonging

My original title, A Search for Place, reflected how I was feeling at the time — that I was still looking for a home. But as the show approaches, I would have lived in Devon for four years, and I’ve realised something important: I’m not searching anymore, I’m finding belonging. Some might scoff at four years, but in my life that really is progress in terms of settling.

What also feels different this time is the creative community around me. I’ve found support, like-minded people and friendship, which is new for me. In the past, if I knew a place was temporary, I tended not to invest in local relationships — perhaps a habit inherited from being a military child. Interestingly, my parents did eventually settle in the Cotswolds in their fifties, and my dad was always keen that my mum had a strong village friendship circle in case he wasn’t around anymore. Sadly, that became reality last summer, and it really brought home how true the phrase “it takes a village” is.

I’m now fast approaching the age my parents were when they settled, and I genuinely feel like I am finding home here in Devon. That’s why I’ve been considering titles such as A Sense of Home, Finding Home, or Belonging.

Between Moor and Sea

I then needed to describe the work itself. My practice focuses on moorland and coastal landscapes. Although we live in Dartmoor National Park, one of the reasons we moved to Devon was our love of the sea. Ironically, we’ve surfed less since moving here — partly because of caring responsibilities, but also because there is so much of Dartmoor to explore that doesn’t require a wetsuit… just full waterproofs!

For this reason, I’ve settled on Between Moor and Sea. It’s descriptive because my show will be roughly two-thirds moor and one-third coast — so the work is literally positioned between them. It also works geographically: Dartmoor itself sits between the coast, and we came here in search of the sea, only to fall for the moor.

Where I’ve landed (for now)

At the moment, I’m leaning towards the title: Belonging: Between Moor and Sea. My exhibition description will be something along the lines of“Glass works shaped from Dartmoor and Devon’s shifting landscapes — emerging from fleeting moments of place.” I’ll sit with this over the coming week before making a final decision. Committing is always the hardest part when you’re indecisive.

What I’ve learned about attempting to name my show

Naming a show has turned out to be less of an admin task and more something that sits alongside the creative process itself; here’s what I keep coming back to (even if I’m not entirely sure I’m doing it right).

• I’m trying to start with how I feel, rather than what I make — letting emotion lead the title, even if that feels a bit wobbly.

• I’m letting the title evolve with me — and reminding myself it’s okay if it changes over time (as long as I actually have the time).

• I think it helps to use the main title for meaning and a subtitle to describe the work, though I’m still figuring this out.

• I’m trying to make space for ambiguity — I suspect a good title can suggest rather than define.

• I’ve been using ChatGPT to test my word choices — if a word doesn’t feel true to me, I’d prefer not to use it.

• I’m giving the title time to settle — saying it out loud, living with it, and seeing how it feels.

I’m slowly realising that naming might actually be part of the process — and I’m hoping, rather than knowing, that the right title will settle while I’m deep in making the work.

This is Episode 14 in my ‘Solo Show Diary’ series — a behind-the-scenes look at how my work develops. You can find my earlier posts here.