2012 Creative Start

My first big creative adventure of the New Year will be to attend a custom clasps workshop with Alison Antelman January 21 and 22,  in Berkeley. I was first entranced with Alison's work in December when I attended  Berkeley Artisans Holiday Open Studios tour. I did seek out Alison's studio as one I wanted to see and I was not disappointed. I learned several helpful things by just talking with her and seeing the way she works. Maybe this is the greatest gift that we receive from other artists--inspiration and encouragement to be original.

Alison Antelman Soldering An Earring

I had not been interested in making clasps before I saw Alison's work and now, I can't wait to learn any little piece of the skills she can teach me. Her clasps are so gorgeous (all pieces in this post are hers) that I can see how a special one could become the focal point of a necklace or bracelet. I also know that working with this much preciseness will be a challenge for me. Bring it on.

Alison's Bracelet With Clasp

Bracelet Featured in December's Lapidary Journal
Photos by Eric Smith

 A clasp even close to this, in any remote way, will be the goal and I will keep you informed as to my progress. Or I am open for my goal to change and the result will be unique!

This is one of the things I want to do more of this year--stretch and grow artistically. Alison's class seems like a great opportunity to do this. Surely I will be able develop a little bit of additional skill by just being in the same studio for two days with this talented metal artist and other artists in the class.
More posts about Alison and her work will follow soon.

What do you want to learn this year? What is your favorite way to learn? I would love to hear about it!

No Resolutions For Me

I often approach things differently from other people and New Year's Resolutions have just never made sense to me. I prefer to keep goals for the New Year small, bite size goals that build to a crescendo of satisfaction somewhere around the last three months of the year. A friend shared the following on facebook recently:

Woodie Guthrie's New Years Resolutions 1942

Woodie knew how to break things down into simple bites that could be accomplished!

Now, don't think I don't have dreams and visions for myself. I do. I find that living in the moment, taking advantage of opportunities, paying attention to important people in my life, eliminating the things I don't want to do or have in my life, noticing what gives me joy and doing more of it, usually gets me to a place better than anything I would have written down.

So, I work backwards. I like to look at all of the things I have accomplished and be proud. Then I look at what I should have done differently and I make a commitment to do them differently. The main step is to recognize anything special I would like to accomplish this year, write that down or make a mental note. As the new months begin, I measure everything I do with those three questions:

1. What am I accomplishing that I'm proud of?
2. What am I doing that should be done differently?
3. Where do I want to be in my life and how can I get there?

If this is too simple for you, here's another idea for New Year's Resolutions that is quick and a little different:  http://www.fastcompany.com

Here's something I did this year,  of which I am proud!

Here is a silver collar with a heavy, prong set druzy quartz and a tube set white sapphire. I am proud of it! Happy New Year!