Carnival Blog

I am not a member of the Carnival Blog. But when they have a topic of interest, I do examine the topic for myself. This month the topic is deadlines. That's a topic near and dear to my heart because I live with deadlines all the time. Tonya writes lists. Angela writes post-it notes. I do have a calendar for the major things (vacation times, etc), but usually deadlines are looming high enough in my future for me not to forget them. For instance:

I have cat detail tonight, followed by dinner, Target, and the "Le Tour" wrapup

I have a project proposal due next Friday

If the project proposal is accepted, I get to make the item within 2 weeks of acceptance

On Wednesday I need to photograph some items for a magazine article proposal

Ren Fest starts next month and I need to finish the embroidery on my cloak

I have a Chiro appt first Monday of August

I have to work six days next week

I have two chapters of my beta read promised for early next week

I need to find the 100 #55 drill bits that I purchased for my own use and now can't find

I have to get some house cleaning done within the next month before my friend Sharon arrives...

Are these all important? To me they all certainly are. I have to prioritize, but ideally I would be concentrating on the artistic proposals and prototypes, letting the work and housecleaning drop by the wayside, and keeping up with Ren Fest and my Chiropractor. But life isn't ideal, so all of these will have to be dealt with by mid-August. I guess I'd have to say I'm deadline driven, but I don't consider that a negative thing, only the push that I need to get something completed.

Favorites? - Carnival Blog

This month's Carnival Blog asks the question "What is your favorite technique?". Now, I do have to state up front that I am a completely unofficial member of the Carnival Blog. The Carnival Blog is a small group of jewelers and metal clay fabricators who answer a posed question once a month. It is an interesting group of creative people, and more importantly (for me) the questions are usually of interest.

I have a real problem deciding my favorite technique. It's probably the major reason that I have enamel and BronzClay on my workbench in-process, a painting project in my carryall, a cloak on my mannequin, an etching project to the left of my computer desk and a beading project to the right of my computer desk. The problem is that I love all of these items, and I also love metal fabrication which takes place at my workbench at the shop since I need the torch and the flex shaft (as well as other tools) for that. In the past I might have been considered a type of "Renaissance Man", but looking at myself I consider myself more of an undecided voter - LOL. I do see all of my artwork consolidating to two major platforms, the use of color and the use of light. I combine these two elements in my use of glass in glass beads and glass enamel. The use of enamel requires a metallic platform for the glass and some way to display the finished items - thus the benchwork metal fabrication in sheet as well as metal clays. My painting is a bit odd man out, but I use those techniques in my enamel work also. The cloak? Well, I will admit that the sewing is most certainly not part of my artwork. But it is something that I have done on-and-off for most of my life and I need a new cloak for this season's Renaissance Festival. I will never stop beading - I have done it for more than 40 years, am an accomplished and recognized artist in the media, and I enjoy it. But I don't pick my needle and thread up as often as I used to.

So what is my favorite technique? All of the above. Playing. These are all components of Sandi's sandbox and I'll sit there with my shovel and pail and a little water and build the most wonderfully colorful translucent sand castle you'll ever see :-) Give yourself permission to play today. Drop by the park, swing on a swing, play on the merry-go-round, or indulge by visiting a Carnival....a creative carnival.

Hitchhiking Onto the Carnival Blog

The Carnival Blog is a small groups of artists, mostly working in Metal Clay, who blog about a common subject once a month. This month's topic was " What was your biggest mistake or worst workbench disaster? " It's an interesting idea, but I'm not so sure I agree with the wording of this. When creating art, there really aren't mistakes. There are many opportunities to learn - learn new or different techniques, learn new ways of looking at things, learn how doing things in an incorrect method or order can make your end goal nearly impossible. But there really aren't mistakes - just lessons.

I believe that attitude should express itself through your art, creativity, and daily life into the surrounding world. I have always believed that we walk a path through life. This path takes us through lush forests, hot deserts, and the occasional swamp. Each step that we take is one more step on a road that had many, many branches sweeping out from it. There is no reverse in life, and no reverse walking on the path of it. Every decision that is made is made - you can't undo a choice. Therefore, the best thing is to think carefully about those choices that will be life-changing, and run full ahead into the minor choices. (As an example, think hard about purchasing that new home, but go ahead and stop for a cup of fancy coffee once a week if you can afford it.) When you finally reach the end of your life, and look back on the pathway that you have walked, I hope it has been through mostly beautiful terrain and makes an incredibly beautiful brachiated pattern behind you. I also hope that you will see others intersecting with the pathways that you have made for them. Your choices impact your life, but also the life of others. As artists, it is important to remember that 7th generation to come and the way that your pathway will impact the world you will leave behind.

Create beauty today!