Back creating in the studio!

I've been a little tied up with all the planning and cleaning out of my office and studio last week. I've also been busy getting ready for my first meeting as President of the Olathe Visual Artists group this Thursday night.

However, I finally found the urge to step back into the studio and create a few things last week. Here is one of the beads I made that has, count them, 240 dots! Well, 120 of them are under the transparent ones on top. I sat there for 2 hours very determined to make a larger bead with a lot of precision and many, many very tiny dots. And yes, I used the colors that I tend to gravitate to. Why is that?

Some of you may have come to my blog as a link from my web site that is totally messed up right now. I've just started this blog a few weeks ago, so am starting to get into the groove of adding things online. I have finally given up the control of having to "do it all" and am having someone else put everything together online for me to get more organized and free up more time to do what I love--creating in the studio. Bear with me...great things are on the way.

Until next time, have a great one!

Affirmations

In the previous post I talked briefly about the online class with Alyson Stanfield which I am really enjoying and learning a lot about myself and my art business. The other day we were asked to write and design some affirmation cards to help us with our vision. Acknowledging that I need to spend more time in my studio being creative, here is one of mine that I'd like to share:

As those of you who know me as a glass bead artist know my talent doesn't lie in drawing, but I was able to draw a butterfly--yeah--scan it and print some out on cards so I could color them in. And no, I don't have any of the nice paints or pencils, so I used my stash of used crayons. I have to say, though, I did have fun and spent a good 2-3 hours writing and coloring them. It was real fun to play on purpose!

With that said, I need to get some space cleared out of my mind and my studio so I can open up and get the creative juices flowing again. As mentioned in my last post, I'm already drawing up some ideas that I can't wait to get into the studio and work on. I'm getting more anxious every day.

I have also gotten back on eBay and Etsy with a few things, trying to clear out some of my beads and things that are taking up space in my studio, including my first torch! I'm finally letting go of it, knowing that I don't really need 2 to get things done. Plus, it makes space for more glass, right? The other thing I need to do is update my web site, which needs to be done pronto!

I hope to be done with the clearing and organizing by the end of the week and back on the torch creating some new pieces by the end of the week.

Until next time...

Fear of what?

A year ago, almost to the day, I signed up for a blog and never even typed a word into it or posted anything. I was afraid. I was afraid to share my thoughts, my art, and that I would sound stupid. But wow, I have been doing a lot of reading and research in the last few weeks and realizing I was ignorant for not jumping in with both feet and exploring the "uncomfortable", or stepping outside my comfort zone. I was going to post for a few weeks before I published this, but I just need to jump. So here goes...

I started a wonderful online class by Alyson Stanfield to help me focus on my art business a few days ago, and boy have my eyes been opened up. They're not wide open yet, but I know they will be by the end of this journey. You see, one thing I have realized already is that I have been trying to force myself to have a passion for something I don't have a passion for. And that passion is jewelry. Yes, I started out making jewelry, but then discovered the art of making glass beads. I was passionate about making glass beads when I started 7 years ago, because I was able to truly create something from inside me where my fire was burning to create.

About 3 years ago I thought, "why don't I create jewelry with my beads like others are, and make more money and share my art with more people?". And I did ok, not fantastic. I started losing the desire to make beads out of my need to create and started making them as a need to make something else that more people would buy. I could make jewelry, and do more shows, and make more money. Well, yeah, I could do more shows, and I did. I got into a few juried shows, but I realized at the end of last year I fit somewhere between the craft shows and the juried art shows. I also finally realized that I really didn't enjoy making jewelry that much. It became more of a production for me and not creation. My bead designs started to jump all over the place with no real style of my own. My creativity was buried in the desire to make what other people were making and not in my desire to create something where my passion was (lie, laid, whatever the word should be).

I have a passion to create beads and work in the flame of my torch with hot molten glass. My vision is already becoming more clear on how I can and need to focus my artwork on my beads. I know what my strongest talents are in my bead designs; funny thing is, I don't even have many or any of those on my web site. I have a lot of work to do, but I will be more focused and enjoy it more because I will be "creating" and "playing" again and not working to create something I don't even like.

In the meantime, I also have to make some money, so I will be selling my beads online as in the past to the people who enjoy making jewelry with my beads. At the same time I will be working on artwork that focuses on my glass art beads. I've already been writing out some ideas.

Until next time...keep your fires burning!
Debbi