Getting Our Bearings

This morning I woke up for the first time in forever that I have no pressing deadline I need to meet for tomorrow. No drawings, no item of jewelry, no anything! I fixed breakfast for my husband and myself and chatted to him about this miraculous thing of "how I could spend my day doing something I've been wanting to" because all my short term obligations have been met.

He and I are in the same boat. We are both artists who serve two masters. We have day jobs that provide the income that we need to live the life we want, and our vocation, the things we create that feed our soul. Often, the jobs that provide our income take precedence over the latter for obvious reasons. This is my husband's busy season in his landscape business, so that is running his life right now. As we finished cleaning up from breakfast, and he was preparing to head over to his studio, I asked him what he was planning to work on today. He is engaged in a series of wood block prints that are compelling and beautiful. I have to laugh a little, because if he'd asked me the question, he'd have got a very specific answer about what I was going to do, and in what order! Not him though. His calm and not specific answer was "I'm going to get my bearings".

Isn't this what we are all doing in our lives? It seems that we are all, no matter what stage of life we are in, getting our bearing to move forward. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of giving a workshop for the metals students at CCAD. Some of them are graduating in a couple weeks, so are at a point in life where huge changes and unknowns are on the horizon. That those individuals were able to contain themselves and focus for four hours on trying to learn the rudiments of gem setting is no small task! In addition to learning a new skill set, they had a few questions about my job. What was it like? What's the biggest diamond you ever set? They were checking a little to help get their bearings for what life outside of school could look like.

Conversely, I wanted to give a workshop, to find out what it's like to teach and share some of the knowledge I've accrued over my 27 year career in the jewelry business. As I move forward into the next stage of my life, what will help me find the best balance between earning enough money to care for myself and my husband now and in our old age, and feeding my soul? My heart, wants to be more deeply engaged in the artistic side of myself. There is a part of me that believes my studio business is the best place to find that, but the barriers to the model I first engaged in are high. How to modify that model is one question. Where does the "day job" fit in my life? To be relevant and successful there, I have learned, requires my full time presence, plus some of my studio time for design processes. The pay is good, but the cost to my artistic heart is very high. Where teaching and helping other fits in, is that it seems to help me reinvigorate mentally. I always seem to be able to enter my studio with a fresh perspective on what I am hoping to create. The question of what role teaching can play in my life is a big one. Could it replace my day job financially? Would it become burdensome when the novelty of something new wears off? Can I balance all three things for the perfect balance of earnings, creating, and giving that will give me the life I've always wanted?

So back to my day of no pressing deadlines. As usual, my longtime partner has it right. This is a day where I will follow his lead. I will head to my studio, play around with my projects that are on back burners, tidy up a little, and try to get my bearings for what is next in my life.

CCAD Art Sale

   Big fun for me yesterday! At the invitation of my boss, I attended the CCAD Art Sale.  For those of you who haven't followed, CCAD is my alma mater. I moved to Columbus 30 years ago to attend this small art school and never left.
   I no longer live on that end of town, so have been only peripherally aware of the changes that have occurred at the school since I left. New leadership, more buildings, better communication with the community that surrounds the school. What was amazing was the quality of the work and the sophistication of the ways in which the students are representing themselves.
   Technology is certainly a boon to artists who are creating beautiful items and images. Everyone has their own websites by the time they're in their junior year. A reminder to me of the importance of updating and making my own current! (Working on it now...hoping to have it complete by June!)  My favorite was a young lady who had graduated, and rather than wait to find a publisher, is self publishing and marketing her own children's books! (Guess what my future nieces and nephews will be getting for Christmas!)
   I left the event to head back to work, but felt buoyant from being enveloped in all the creative energy of young people who haven't been told they can't, or aren't good enough, or right for that promotion, or all the things they will face in life that can grind you down. Next week I am teaching my first (hopefully not my last) stone setting workshop at CCAD for the students there who aspire to work in the jewelry industry. I hope I am able to give them one more tool in their arsenal to create beautiful objects. I know that whatever I can give to them, I will receive back in their fresher point of view!

Salad Days

I feel like I have entered into the magic period in life they call  "Salad Days". That magical place where good fortune seems abundant. My studio business is five years old, and I have reached the point where I can finally clear all debt. I have plenty of merchandise, and money in the bank to grow. It is unbelievable that I started my business at the beginning of " the great recession" and have any notion that I can continue in business at all!

 I have more custom work in my day job than I can figure out how to do. While normally that would be a source of great anxiety to me, we've added an employee who works in CAD. She is the greatest partner I could have ever asked for. Her ability to interpret designs and create models is a huge gift that frees me from much of the tedious work at the bench. She is talented and patient not to mention a pleasure to know. It makes that part of my life much more pleasurable.

As if all those things don't make life joyful enough, there is more! I have just  received confirmation that I will be giving a stone setting workshop at the Columbus College of Art and Design in April. With all I am busy with in life, I'm sure there are those that don't understand why I would want to add more. There is  something special about sharing information and helping others to grow. I've visited the college on two occasions to give critiques for the competition hosted by the Diamond Cellar. On both occasion I have found inspiration from the creative energy of these young artist that has helped me to return to my own work with a fresh point of view. I am looking forward to giving these students another skill set in their arsenal to grow in their own creativity! I look forward to this being something I can do with regularity, and hope that the process will help to give me open eyes were my own designs are concerned even as my experience can help others in their work.

Spring seems to be determined to come early this year and the awakening completely matches my mood.
After years of worry that the economy brought, and doubts as to how I would find success on my chosen career path, I feel like the winter is ending. The birds are singing, and the flowers are coming up! Welcome Salad Days! I love you!

Why DO I do what I do for a living?

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.

Connections

I've been accused for many years of being a person who over analyzes things. It's true and I have no problem owning it. It comes from being an introvert and the feeling of always being an "outsider". Why
am I not comfortable in that group where everyone else is relaxed, laughing, and grooving on the collective vibe? It's just how I am, and at 47 it's probably not going to change!
   Last night while working in my shop with a friend, she asked me if I was familiar with the music she was playing. I wasn't, but thought it was pretty. The conversation continued with her asking what I do listen to. (This is where the over analyzing comes in.) So, I started listing the artists that I enjoy most. I am most drawn to singer/ songwriter music, often with a folk, bluegrass feel to them. I love the way my favorite artists craft the words. They have a turn of phrase that makes me stop and say "good line". Definitely, without the music behind, the words are poetry!
  I also find I am drawn to the subject that the artist is speaking of. Iris Dement is one of my favorites, as she write songs about her life, how she relates to the process of aging and changing, loss of parents, working and balancing life. Her work speaks to the reality of my own life. Ten years ago I was working in my studio listening to her song that expressed the sorrow of her fathers impending passing. I was wrestling with my own fathers illness, and looking for the strength to become his kidney donor. She, like a dear best friend, helped me make the choice, through her song! I'll never be able to thank her, but I'll always love her for her words!
   To me, this is art at it's very finest. I love a song, a book, a painting that lifts that veil of separation, and let's us see we are all the same. We all have the same needs, suffer the same losses, lose our youth, and move on to the next sphere.

The Whole Life

I just returned from vacation. I recommend it highly to everyone. There is nothing better than stepping out of our normal surroundings and daily life to rest, reflect, and recharge. Crucial, especially for those of us who are dependent on our creativity for our living.

I have to say that even as I had stepped away from my daily life, I didn't really completely stop working. I had a good giggle when one of my co-workers had sent me an email, then chastised me for my prompt response, telling me to stop working! I know that for many people it is easy to compartmentalize their lives, for me that has never been the case. Life, work, play, friends, family all blend together for me into what I think of as a whole. The ideas for some of my favorite designs come to me when I'm far away from my bench! I am looking forward to sitting down at my bench to bring  to life the scribbles I added to my sketch book while I sat on the beach and watched the pelicans in their follow the leader game!

Collaboration

My work as a custom jeweler offers me the opportunity to go where my imagination may not naturally go on it's own. It is a unique collaboration where a person entrusts me with their collected gems and dreams of a one-of-a-kind heirloom piece.

My most recently completed project was a particular joy for me to create. The client is a lovely lady who I've enjoyed a warm relationship with for years. We share a passion for beautiful jewelry and have enjoyed exploring the latest fashions in the cases of The Diamond Cellar.

Her visit to the store one afternoon this summer was the beginning of this most enjoyable project. She arrived, as many customers do, with a sandwich bag of old rings and half pairs of long forgotten earrings set with sapphires and diamonds. She had seen some vintage style jewelry in a recent fashion magazine and had fallen in love with the idea of a "spray" brooch.

I would never have thought to create a brooch because they have not been a much requested item, but think they are fabulous. They can add great drama to an outfit! It was a lively conversation and a quick game of "tic, tac, toe" where we drew out rough sketches to make sure we were on the same page. From the notes I made that day, I made a formal rendering to scale, giving her a solid view of what I was planning.

I loved the whimsy of the curving lines and the challenge of organizing the mismatched gems. I loved designing an object that reflected the richness of a bygone era. Best of all was the response last week from my client when she came in for the final unveiling. There is no question that we worked together to create this beautiful brooch and without her as the catalyst I'd have never had the opportunity to walk that path!