I know most people can relate to the question "Why DO I do this for a living?". It's inevitable that we reach that point where one more straw and the camel's back will break. That's the last week of my life working on this bracelet in fifteen minute increments, between interruptions, as the due date loomed closer and closer!
I pride myself on my flexibility with people and keeping a positive attitude while I'm working, but as the deadline approached, and the inner grill to the bracelet had not arrived back from the caster, I could see my calm slip away. Then the nights that I couldn't sleep through started. When I did sleep the dreams were epic searches to find the one class I've missed all semester, or my locker in high school ( the last place I'd ever want to be again), or some crazy work dream where nothing is going right and I'm sitting naked at my bench. I got to the point, when I was remaking the catch for the third time (it should be easy, I've made a million!), and someone wanted me to drop everything to look at something for them, that I started thinking "I cannot stand this another second"!
Happily, I finished the bracelet today. The catch works perfectly... the grill installed beautifully...the opal set easily, and it polished up to perfection! As I cleaned the bracelet off after polish and held it complete, it was no longer the difficult bits and pieces that needed to be fabricated and assembled. It was it's own complete object, whole and beautiful. It didn't reflect the struggle or worry that had brought it into it's own. I chatted with a few people about it, called the client to arrange for shipping, and started to relax again.
So this is why I do what I do. Because I am a maker of things, at the end of every project I have something tangible, durable, and beautiful to show for the efforts I have made.
No comments:
Post a Comment