Pen collecting and the curious art of curation
I’m continuing to think my way through how large or small my pen collection should be. Part of the equation, for me, is driven by curation. What do I want the final collection to look like?
I suspect there are two general goals for a collection. One is accumulating. The other: curating. This post thinks through both as they pertain to my own goals — without judgment. We all wear many sizes.
Colors by numbers … by partner
Novelty is key. Feeling out a new pen or ink or combination draws me back into writing. Returning to the same colors or nibs diminishes the novelty in my penvelope.
It’s easy to fall into cycles wherein I turn to the same ink colors time and again. This week, I escaped the cycle through a tried-and-true method for picking inks: asking my partner to pick ink numbers. Hooray sharing.
What is the right size for my pen collection?
I return often to reflections on how large or small an “appropriate” collection of fancy pens should be. A recent spate of reflections by blogs I enjoy reading have similarly returned to this topic. Many aspire to small, intentionally-curated collections.
Should I also aim for a similarly minimalist assortment of 10 or 12 pens? Pens that have each been carefully chosen so that each one speaks to a particular part of writing that I enjoy? My forever 10?
Pen math: One out, two more into rotation
The week begins at an interesting juncture. I have six pens already inked. My ink palette, which was both functional and pretty, remains intact. Planning this week’s rotation was easy.