The Magpie's Treasure

Friday's Affirmation for Artists - Remember to Take A Bow!

It's Friday and I have another affirmation for you.

Today it's all about taking a bow when we complete a work of art. When performing artists finish their acts, we expect them to take a bow--without hesitation and with a big smile on their face. But for me--standing in front of an audience and wearing my pride on my sleeve is not something I'm comfortable doing. Remember--I'm a woman who decided to spend most of her time working alone in a basement studio.

But while I was composing these affirmations, I came across a quote that changed my perspective on taking a bow and showing off my work (I wish I could remember who said it)... The gist of it was that when we create something that comes from our heart, we serve others by sharing it. By doing so we can make people laugh, make them remember, make them empathize... Christine Kane used Jerry Seinfeld to illustrate this concept--he makes most of us laugh 'til we cry and we need that laughter and are grateful for it.

So today let's give three loud cheers for the Internet!! It is possible for all of us to share our creations from the security of our own studios and without the aid of a gallery or store. We can serve others--with one click of camera and a few more clicks on a mouse. Hurrah! Let's take our bows!

That's it for now. I hope you have a great weekend!

When the Going Gets Tough--The Tough Reach for Their Affirmations

Here's an affirmation that most of us can use. There are those things that we do over & over again even though we know they don't get us closer to our goals. Sometimes it helps to have a reminder that once we let go we'll be on our way and so much happier.

More Affirmations for Artists for 2010

Here's one more of my affirmations.

Be. Do. Have. 

I borrowed this one from artist coach Christine Kane. Even though the success of a business is measured in monetary terms, the rewards that really keep me fired up are rewards for the heart--like the great feeling I get when I make personal connections with others through art, or the personal satisfaction I feel when I master a new technique, or even the swell of pride I experience when I finish making a piece that I think is really beautiful. 

So when I repeat this particular affirmation to myself those are the kinds of "emotional" rewards I'm hoping to see accumulating around me. 

Here's another:

 

This is an affirmation that I conjured up because I've always been impatient. I want instant expertise and don't like spending time mastering things. In fact, as a child I dropped out of flute lessons, piano lessons, karate lessons, and more--all because I didn't want to spend time practicing the basics. Somehow I expected my piano & flute teachers to help me play songs by telling me where to hold my fingers. I didn't understand that I needed to train my eyes to read sheet music or train my fingers to instinctively know where the keys were. 

It took a long time for me to understand that, but then I took a typing class and trained my mind and hands to type words without the aid of my eyes. And later on in life, I took pottery classes and spent weeks playing with mud before my hand-muscles developed a "memory" and could make stable pots without my thinking about the individual steps my teacher had demonstrated. 

Even with these experiences behind me, I'm still impatient with myself. There are times when I see the work of other amazing artists and think "Wow, I never would have come up with that" or "Hmmm, I'm never going to be THAT good." But I do know better. I know that those artists spent lots of time mastering their trade. They weren't born with those skills. And I know that I'm on my way, too. This affirmation card is a reminder that it takes time to grow and master skills -- the rewards are slowly coming my way.

It's a New Year With New Affirmations To Fire Us Up

 I hope your new year is getting off to a great start & that you are ready to spread your wings and go for it! 

I leaped into 2010 with a broom & dust pan in hand--had to give my studio a good straightening up. Then I joined an art biz class--the Blast Off Class taught by Alyson Stanfield. You might remember that I participated in the class last year, too, but it left me feeling so energized that I jumped at the chance to do it again this year.

One of the class assignments that I love is designed to help you focus on what motivates you as an artist and small business owner. We had to create index cards with affirmations on them and were encouraged to add artwork to our cards. That's where it got fun! 

Out came my markers, gelly roll pens, and water-color crayons. For the words on each card--I dug down deep and tried to pinpoint statements that I believe are true, that excite & motivate me, and that make me feel satisfied with where I am and where I'm heading.

 

I've posted these two affirmations for you today, but keep an eye on this blog -- because over the next few days I'll be posting more for you to see. Hopefully, you'll find one or two that work for you, too. And if you do--be sure to let me know in a comment. I'd love to hear what you think--and if you have any affirmations of your own to pass along. Enjoy! 

Making Art is About Making Connections

The holiday season is a busy time of year for most folks--especially artists who participate in holiday art markets. I usually sell my work in shops or online, but in the Autumn I like to add a few holiday markets to my calendar. They are great opportunities, not just to make sales, but to meet my customers face to face--hear what they like about my work or what they would like to see added to my collection. The events also give me a chance to meet other artists--admire their work and hear their insights about living and breathing the creative life. I often come home with notes-to-myself on scraps of paper that help me remember things I want to try next year or when I get back into my studio.

The down side of holiday art markets is that in order to have enough items on hand to fill my booth, I have to switch into production mode. And recreating finished designs can feel tedious. I miss the feeling of surprise and achievement that comes when a new pendant or necklace is finally complete. This year is no different, and I've been procrastinating about making pieces for my booth. 

Lucky for me I have very smart friends to help keep me focused and motivated. Right now, it's CarolynArtist's words that are fueling my fire. She recently wrote about the meaning behind creating art, and I had to print it out and tape her words to the wall above my workbench. She wrote:

As I turn on my soldering iron and cue up the audiobook-of-the-day, I'm thinking about what Carolyn said. Her words very succinctly sum up what truly is the heart of why I do what I do, and remind me why I need to get to work making jewelry to share at this year's art events. 

For everything there is a season... 

So when I'm designing new pieces, it is the season to lose myself in taking random beads, metal, or maybe just a fantastic quote and finding ways to connect them to create an appealing design. And when it's time to make more of those finished designs, it is the season to lose myself in the pleasure of using the tools and techniques--watching the glass breaking perfectly where I've scored it and the solder flowing smoothly around the edges of the glass. After all--it has taken A LOT of practice to do these things well, and there were times when they were not relaxing to do at all. Production time is also the season to enjoy perfecting each piece--no longer looking at them with "honeymoon eyes" I can take the time to revisit the designs and see what can be improved. 

 

No matter what season it is, when I'm making jewelry I'm always hoping that each carefully designed piece will find a home with someone who will think it is as beautiful as I do and enjoy wearing it.

Making art IS about making connections--the connections between artist and new materials, artist and tools & techniques, and artist and buyer. These connections are what keep this artist's heart in her work, and so does the camaraderie of other talented and wise artists. Thanks for the powerful words, Carolyn. You're one smart cookie!

Time to Relax, Recline, Rejuvenate… And Make Resolutions!

Ahhh, I’m finally unpacked after my annual journey to the beach on Ocracoke Island. It was a luxuriously long and slow-tempoed vacation. And as always, I came home rejuvenated and armed with a new set of resolutions for the coming months. THIS is truly when my new year begins.

The quiet and solitude are usually uninterrupted for days on end, so I always pack a big bag of books—too many to actually read--of course! And the island has a fantastic little bookstore—Books to be Red. I always stop in and buy a book or two regardless of how many books I’ve hauled to the island myself. Their selection is THAT good!

This year I enjoyed reading:

• The Red Leather Diary by Lily Koppel
• Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story by Carolyn Turgeon
• Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

I also packed lots of creative projects to keep my hands busy. Ocracoke Island and village are very small, but one of my favorite things to do there is explore the galleries and gift shops. They carry incredibly unique and inspiring works of art & jewelry. I’d go crazy if I couldn’t harness the good vibe that comes from the local artists to make my own creations back in my room.

My jewelry-making endeavors began on Ocracoke because of the inspiring artist there. So every year, I pack more and more jewelry-making supplies for the trip. This year my pliers breathed new life into old sparkly bits from my “magpie’s treasure.” 

I combined a button and a rhinestone clasp that broke off of my aunt’s Marriam Haskell necklace to create some new vintage jewelry. I’ve been trying to find a way to give this family heirloom a second life for a so long now, and am so, so happy that it will be going out on the town and to dinners, again!

I also mixed vintage enamel brooches and lampwork beads to make some funky necklaces. I just love the lampwork beads with the tiny flowers from my friend Kim Nelson on Etsy. Aren’t they sweet and fun?

 

Just like a kid, I had to bring my crayons. Except mine were special crayons--the wonderful Lyra water-soluble crayons that I discovered at Art & Soul workshop with Lisa Kaus. 

I used them to experiment with “art journaling.” I looked through Journal Bliss by Violette for pointers on doodling. I just loved the way my drawings/paintings turned out. Now my journal is illustrated—so much more interesting than just page after page of words!

 And if that wasn’t enough, I began dabbling in embroidery. Turns out that it’s a great media to work with when you’re traveling. The hoop, needle, fabric, and thread take up so little space, and are very easy to carry to the beach with a towel & beach chair. And--if load an audiobook onto your iPod—you can sew and make it through a novel at the same time. I loaded The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows onto my iPod and enjoyed the story while stitching the afternoons away.

Before I left home I designed this Ocracoke Island pillow. It is inspired by the Catstudio hand emboidered pillows and Natural Life pillows. And I found two books on fun embroidery techniques that helped me determine which supplies I needed to get started -- Sublime Stitching by Jenny Hart and Aimee Ray’s Doodle Stitching.

It took a few days of sunshine and sitting still, before I began to relax and unclench myself. And that’s also about the time when my subconscious begins to do its work. I face this part of vacation with equal parts of anticipation and apprehension—because on about day 3 or 4 my biggest hopes and fears begin to reveal themselves in the form of vivid dreams. Sometimes these dreams can be unsettling, but they’re just a sign that I’m letting the silly worries fall away and the important stuff is rising to the top.

Every year, Ocracoke works its magic on me. First come the dreams, then the relaxing, and finally a clear mind that’s capable of coming up with a plan to change. I always return home with practical ideas to improve my situation and to refocus myself on all the good things that I have going for me. These new marching orders are priceless! (One year I decided to leave my desk job to begin The Magpies Treasure! In October I turned in my resignation. It felt scary but oh-so-right!)

This year’s vacation was exceptionally restful and my subconscious was surprisingly calm. It sent me lots feedback reaffirming my decision to pursue jewelry design. Instead of fitful dreams, my nights were filled with cloudy visions of jewelry designs and paintings. And I decided that I need to rededicate myself to making jewelry, to expand my abilities, to begin producing silver and metal jewelry this year, to spend less time admiring other people’s work so I can focus on developing my own style. I slept soundly each night and woke up eager for my morning jog past the British Cemetery and out to Pamlico Sound.

And so now you know why my long and slow-tempoed vacation on this sleepy little island is really the beginning of my new year. It’s a ritual full of quiet days, free time, books, beach, creative moments, inspiration, and new resolutions that lead to real change. Rain or shine--time on Ocracoke changes me from the inside out…

I hope you made time this summer to relax, recline, rejuvenate, and even make some new resolutions.

Happy New Year everybody!

Art & Soul Artist Retreat: Where One Good Thing Leads to Another

Hey there! Last week I was away attending the Art & Soul Artist Retreat. My bags are unpacked now & I can't wait to tell you all about it!

Art & Soul is a week-long series of workshops lead by internationally recognized paper, fabric, jewelry, and fiber artists. I attended last year and loved it. So I made sure to add it to my calendar for this year. And I was not disappointed. Once again, I picked up a lot of new tricks and came home with a long list of new "must have" supplies and tools!

Being a jewelry designer, of course I took some jewelry-making classes, but I also signed up to learn painting techniques from mix media artist Lisa Kaus and a refresher class on color theory with Beverly Gilbert.

Assemblage artist Richard Salley taught both of the jewelry classes that I participated in. The first one was called "The $35 Billion Jewelry Project," and we made gorgeous pendants using plastic gift cards and copper sheet. I hit the jackpot by sitting next to Judy--a painter/jewelry designer from the Petersburg Regional Art Center--who had an entire grocery bag full of gift cards with beautiful designs. She generously shared her stash and gave me the cards that made my piece a success. Thanks Judy!! (This necklace used to be a Books-A-Million gift card--no kidding!)

The new "must have" supply that I discovered in this class was Magic-Glos by Lisa Pavelka. It's a one-part resin that is amazingly clear and cures in just 5-10 minutes. And the "must have" tool was a 8" benchtop shear/brake from Harbor Freight that we used to cut our metal into bezel strips.

Saturday was Vendor Night. Oh my goodness--having so many art supplies and amazing creations in one place was so tempting!! The artists/instructors all had tables with their brilliant work for sale. I immediately snatched up a necklace made by Jane Wynn, who taught a class I took last year and who penned Altered Curiosities: Assemblage Techniques and Projects.

(This is the necklace I made in Jane Wynn's class during Art & Soul 2008.)

Another treat on Vendor Night was that my friends Kim Nelson & Ellen McBride were there selling vintage supplies for artists from their shop called Loverly. Their booth was abuzz all night with workshop participants stocking up on inclusions for their jewelry and collages. And coincidentally, Jane Wynn stopped in and picked up a funky old light bulb. Too cool!

(FYI--Kim, Ellen, & I are scheduled to make another appearance as the Three Hip Chicks at the Heron's Way Gallery on June 20, 2009. Come join us!)

On Sunday morning, I pulled out my paintbrushes and dove into some mixed-media design and painting in Lisa Kaus's "Gridlocked" class. Each student composed a patchwork of paintings on a large piece of wood. Then we drilled, hammered, and wired found objects to the board, and sealed the piece with a layer of encaustic wax.  Lisa's class introduced me to the "must have" supply--Lyra watercolor crayons. These creamy crayons make yummy colors that glide onto a wet surface and can be smeared and spread with a paint brush, just like regular watercolors. It feels great to apply color this way.

After painting all day long, I had a quick supper, and went to a night class--"Eye for Color" with Beverly Gilbert. She gave us each a copy of her new book Eye For Color: Interchangeable Template and Color Wheel System, which has several color wheels--the "must have" items I discovered in this class. Then she put us to work searching for specific color families in magazines.

We ripped pages and glued colors to white Bristow board. When we stepped back, Beverly explained why the juicy color combinations we'd chosen were working together. It was great to start understanding the "science" behind them. (Thank goodness I didn't have any beads, otherwise I would have been up all night making color combinations!)

On Monday, I reached for my jewelry-making toolbox, again. This time Richard Salley was teaching "Turn Over a New Leaf." He showed us how to sprinkle enamel (glass powder) on copper and melt it with a torch. I've worked with enamel before--but used a kiln to fuse the enamel to the metal.

The "must have" supplies I discovered in this final class were the Thompson's medium temp./medium expansion enamels and the torch. However when I got home, I did some research and found that people advise using a Hothead torch and Mapp gas when you torch fire enamels, rather than just using a propane tank. ...And, since Hothead torches are typically used for lampwork beadmaking, somehow I ended up having a Hothead torch and beadmaking starter kit in my shopping cart. Oye! You know how that goes, right?... Aren't we all hopelessly in love with creative supplies and tools?!

Wow! It was an incredible getaway! Leaving the studio and spending lots of time with other artists and fantastic teachers was just what the doctor ordered to cure my cabin fever/studio duldrums. And now I have a TON of new techniques, supplies, and tools to work with.

(Judy, if you read this--mark your calendar for Art and Soul 2010. It's scheduled for May 20-24. I'll save you a seat!) 

Country Roads Take Me to the Doorstep of a Local Painter

The weather was incredible this weekend in Northern Virginia. Several art & food events were going on nearby, which made it hard to decide what to do with our down time. In the end, my husband and I opted to stay away from the big tents & crowds. Instead, we hopped into our pickup truck and headed for the nearest back road.

Fauquier County’s country roads are picturesque—twisting around hills that are dotted with black cows, frolicking calves, and grape vines stretching along wire fences.

We slowly made our way over to The Plains, a very tiny neighboring town. There are just a handful of shops on the Main St., but they are fantastic. I was eager to visit Forlano’s Market—a restaurant known for its use of local meats and cheeses. And I also wanted to visit Peyton’s Place, a home décor boutique that has a Euro-country/shabby chic flair. (It feels like it could be someone’s vacation home--with sultry French music playing, crinkled linen curtains hang from ceiling-high rods, fancy candles & soaps scent the air, and overhead-fans create a soft breeze... If no one had been around, I think I could have curled into one of the cozy chairs and taken a nap!)

Our next stop turned out to be the highlight of our day--a vistit with the owners of Live an Artful Life, the town’s new art gallery. The walls featured paintings of nearby farms and vistas all painted by local artist & gallery owner, Tom Neel. He had somehow managed to capture the radiant sunrises, dark dappled ponds, vibrant green hills, and country roads that are so, so familiar to us. So we fell in love with his work immediately!

As we admired the paintings, the gallery's co-owner Linda Neel told us that the gallery had only opened for business the day before & that they will hold their first formal artist reception on May 2.

Then she explained that the artwork was her husband’s, and pointed to him on the other side of the room.  Wow—a chance to meet the artist and ask a few questions before the crowds arrived! (I think the art podcasts that I listen to must be influencing me, because I started asking him questions that I’m used to hearing on the CraftCast by Alison Lee).

In addition to asking him where each scene actually was on our road map, I had one burning question that I've been asking other artist lately--how do you deal with working solo all the time? Lately, I’ve been struggling with being lonely in my home studio. It's the kind of loneliness that leaves me on edge all the time and feeling somewhat hesitant to get to work... (FYI--I just found an article with some suggested remedies for home studio blues.)

He told me that loneliness is something that artists work through over time and that many artists are also prone to feeling “down” when they are between projects--he called that “rendering” time. But he asked what working environment I was coming from. When I said I’d worked in an office with lots of coworkers, he said that it could still be the “shock” of leaving an office environment.

Hmmmm… that’s for sure! No one comes around at lunchtime to chat with me or tell me how their weekend went. And I can’t look over someone else’s shoulder to get energized or to learn a new trick. He reassured me that it's something I will grow beyond. I hope so, and I look forward to upcoming Art League classes & the Art & Soul Hampton workshops that will allow me to work alongside other people, again.

 

Wow, what a wonderful weekend journey. It seems to me that everytime I wander off of Rt. 29, I am amazed by what I discover. Today—artisan foods, artsy home decor, and encouragement from an outstanding artist--I feel so blessed to live right here, right now! Can't wait 'til next weekend!

Spring Has Sprung in Northern Virginia

Well, Spring is bursting here in Northern Virginia. The colors of the cherry blossoms and green grass are so inspiring! In fact, I've temporarily put down my jewelry making tools in exchange for a paint brush and some acrylics.

Yesterday, I sat down by a window and whipped up some small paintings to capture the feeling of this spring. It was great fun to have play time here in my studio!

Well, I'm going to get back in gear here on my blog. To make sure that I do, I've joined an Art Biz class called Blog Triage for Artist's Blogs led by Alyson Stanfield (http://artbizblog.com) and Cynthia Morris (http://journeyjuju.com). I'm hoping I can turn this blog into a place where my friends & other artists will find inspiration while sneaking a peek into my studio. I love looking at blogs that have art challenges & post the artwork of readers, so perhaps--with the help of this bloggin class--I will be able to launch something like that on my own blog.

Being a full-time artist and working from a home studio, can sometimes be lonely business, so I'd also like to do more to encourage readers to share their ideas and art work. And it would be amazing if I were able to attract the attention of artists who live right here in Northern Virginia--people who I could actually meet someday. There's nothing more inspiring and energizing than spending time in the presence of other artists, and Northern Virginia, DC, and Baltimore have so many great art events. It'd be fantastic if I could help organize day trips or get-togethers with some of my readers.

Well, those are just some of my dreams for my blog. I'm so excited to be taking this blogging class!

How I Keep on the Sunny Side of Life

There's that old song that reminds us to "Keep on the sunny side of life" especially when life is challenging or difficult. And that's what I try to do--with varying degrees of success--but I'm usually able to find a silver lining.

One thing I like to do to keep myself positive, is to post uplifting quotes around the house--in my work area, on the side of the fridge, next to my mirror in the bathroom, on my night stand--just about everywhere that I spend a lot of time. (During one particularly difficult time in life, I even had notes taped to the dash board of my car!)

I guess this is why I often incorporate quotes like these in my jewelry.

I just recently noticed how many of these little notes I have hanging around. I finally realized this when I began participating in a wonderful art business class lead by Alyson Stanfield (the Art Biz Coach & author of "I'd Rather Be in the Studio"). We've been working on setting goals, getting organized, and dreaming BIG. One of the things we've all done is come up with a vision and put together affirmations to help us see that vision as a reality. I struggled with this, until I looked around and saw that my notes are a lot like the affirmations I was trying to conjure up.

I thought I'd share some of these with you... Let me know if you find a gem that you'll be posting on your bathroom mirror. Or better yet, let me know if you've got a great quote that I should add to my own collection!

Here goes:

The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work. ~Oprah

Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it. ~Greg Anderson

If they can do it, you KNOW you can, too. ~quote I found on a Dove chocolate wrapper

The person born with a talent they use will find their greatest happiness in using it. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without the work. ~Emile Zola

Big results require big ambitions. ~James Champy

If you can’t excel with talent, triumph with effort. ~Dave Weinbaum

You get in life what you have the courage to ask for. ~Oprah

Opportunity never arrives. It’s here.

God doesn’t give people talents that he doesn’t want them to use. ~Iron Eagle

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you desire. ~Henry David Thoreau

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. ~Goethe

Don’t let success go to your head or failure go to your heart.

High expectations are the key to everything. ~Sam Walton

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. ~James 4:8

Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.