13:36 - 2006-03-25
Four Seasons of Jewellery 2006: Objectives for Spring
Four Seasons of Jewellery 2006: Objectives for Spring
I've been looking at the work I've produced in the past 13 weeks, and I have to say that I'm really pleased with the quality of the work. Especially the bracelets.
So... it's time again to review, since we're now starting the third season, Spring.
I still haven't done anything with rivetting or setting small stones, but I have been adding some coiling into my work.
I'm still looking at those 500 series books, and back issues of Metalsmith and MAGazine (the publication of the Metal Arts Guild of Canada, of which I'm serving as President), and I'm still wondering what I can do to make my work look more arty.
Most of the time, my designs are very structured and controlled - something which people tell me they like about my work. But it's a Catch 22 - like any artist who sticks to the same technique over and over again, you get known for producing that kind of work, but it also gets stale.
A little over a year ago, a psychic told me I should be doing more "sculptural" work, larger, and less "delicate". At the time I was wearing a pendant that, in my view, was one of the better pieces I'd made recently, so her comment surprised me. But it's been stuck in my head ever since, percolating. And now that I look back at what I've produced, yes it's nice work, but it's all essentially flat.
So... I think that's what I'm going to make as my goal for the next session: produce at least a few pieces that work not just as jewellery, but also as sculpture, i.e. try to think more in 3D and see where that takes me.
One of the ladies that belongs to MAGC, Colleen Baran, is involved in a project called the Jewellery Journey. The project has similarities to the FSOJ/YOJ project in its structure, but doesn' have the same sort of weekly commitment to produce work. Producing a piece a week really is a huge commitment for me, and as my many comments about time crunches attests, one that is difficult to manage sometimes. People marvel at the fact that I'm doing this project when I have two small kids to look after plus the guild work. Last week when DH and I were butting heads, I was feeling like a choice was being forced on me: make jewellery and put up with DH complaining about the housework not getting done, or give up the jewellery and focus on being a SAHM and Little Hausfrau. It's become very clear that DH expects me to do the latter. While he "says" he supports my guild work and jewellery making, his actions say differently.
Here's the thing though: I need to continue to make jewellery.
In a previous relationship, when a similar choice was forced on me, I channelled all of my creative energy into furthering my ex's ambitions. I suppressed my own creative urges and I eventually became really depressed. I'm sensing similar feelings within myself now when days go by without me picking up my pliers. But I feel that to stop would be to doom myself to repeating history. I don't know if this is karma coming back: I've read that we are presented with repeating situations so that we can make different choices. If that's what this is, then the choice is a no-brainer: I'm NOT giving up the jewellery. Despite the challenges, every fiber of my being screams that I should NOT give this up, no matter what.
