I just returned from vacationing with my family, so no blog post last week. I did some bead work, but not my daily routine. I also listened to and read very little news. Instead, I spent my time outdoors (swimming, paddle boarding, jogging, walking, bicycling, and playing paddle ball). I sat on the beach and read and people watched. Inside, we read, played board and card games, and talked. It was relaxing and rejuvenating. Stepping outside established routine can be a valuable change of pace. For me, the first priority of such time is reconnecting with my family, in a place free from distractions. It is also freeing to let go of daily schedules and see which ones I miss and which seem less necessary upon returning home. Since this is an annual tradition, I can see the changes in my three sons and in myself and my husband. As our children mature, we are on more equal footing and even have more time for each other instead of just playing our dual parenting roles. The time out of ordinary life gives me fresh eyes to see where and who I am and want to be and to try to align myself on the path to where I want to be going. It will be fun to see how that new energy infuses my work!
Hooray! Today I did the finishing details on a necklace that will be in Craftwear at the August League of NH Craftsmen's Fair in Sunapee, NH. I have been working on it for several months and after the delays and distractions of the first half of summer, it is especially sweet to have it finished. All that is left is photographing and delivering it. I am always anxious whenever I drop off a new work. Having put so much of myself into it, I hope others will appreciate it and see some of what I see in it. It is the big "unveiling." Usually, most feedback is positive and constructive. I have learned that I am (and should be) my harshest critic. If I am satisfied with the results, the piece is successful.
In addition to any trepidation of sharing my work with others, there is also the sense of parting that comes with finishing a work and releasing it to the world. More than once, I have worked right up to my deadline and then sold the piece in the exhibit, never to see it again. That is a permanent separation. Even if the work does not sell immediately, once it is completed, I am no longer actively engaged with it. While finishing a work is a terrific feeling, there is the loss of that daily challenge, and the anticipation of how it will evolve. I think that is what drives me to be an artist, the thrill of discovery as an individual work takes shape in my hands. That may also be why I usually have several projects in various stages, so I can move from a completed project to another piece in process. Sometimes it feels a bit disjointed, but it staves off artist block and keeps me moving forward! To see my latest works, "Mermaid's Hair" and "Guinevere," check out the Fair August 4-12. I'll post photos when the Fair ends! Hello! I was out of town last week, across the country at a family reunion. It was busy but fun catching up with family members, many we had not seen since the last reunion at our home two years ago! The weekend before we left our home was filled with visitors and with all the activity, I did precious little beading. (I did pack some portable projects for the plane, but as we left at 4:00 am and returned on a redeye, I mostly slept enroute!) So, I was anxious to get back to my work! Last night I sat down after dinner with my current piece, which uses a couple of dozen different shades of blue and turquoise. Dinner was finished, the dishes were washed, and I was planning to watch a movie with my family while doing some beading. Not two minutes later one of our puppies appeared in my lap, scattering beads everywhere! It was so frustrating! I spent the rest of the night collecting and sorting, instead of beading, and I am almost back to where I started.
I've been chronicling the interruptions summer has been wreaking on my work schedule, and the past two weeks is a good example. Whether it's trying to catch some sleep on a plane or being the object of affection for a puppy who'd been missing his family, summer can make it challenging to continue the pace of work I'd like. On the other hand, spending time with family members I rarely see, exploring a different part of the country, and appreciating the demands of a puppy are a vital part of my life, too. Rather than bemoan the lost time, I choose to enjoy the variety of my life. My father died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 49. I was just 25 at the time, and that has served as a reminder all of my adult life and tomorrows are not guaranteed, so I need to re to stop and smell the roses |