These faces, furry and otherwise, are the faces of those I love and they all rule my heart and my world. My posting has been silent for a while, as far as jewelry and creating goes. The reason is I am going through a time when I am needed at home, and needed in a new part time job that requires more learning and time than I figured on. 
Priorities are at home. They need me and I need them and we are all going through a phase of refiguring things in our lives, where we want to be, what we want to do and how to get from here to there. In this transition, I increasingly find I am not interested in some of the same art that I used to be. Moving on, moving forward, is difficult. It's hard to let go of the past and the symbolism of many objects in our lives. Michael and I both are letting go of some aspects of our artistic lives that were once an integral part of our lives but after time and reflection, find that they were not realistic goals, or not really interesting to us other than in selling them to other people. We want to be true to ourselves while still making part of our living with art. This is not an easy task. Many artists put work out there that is really just cranked out, with little thought other than that it sold well in the past and will possibly sell well again. I am not interested in sell out, highly prolific art, which most of the time isn't art at all, but simple manufacture on an individual level.
Yes Mango has a deep love affair with our (I mean his...) motorcycle... I think we need to find him a kitty helmut and make it official on the road. =)More etsy items are to come, soon as we get our redecorated apartment finished up.
3 comments:
Jennifer, I really hear you about the idea of cranking out art only to sell. It steals your soul! And you're correct-- it's not art, it's manufacture. We finally canned our upholstery business because we weren't finding clients who appreciated the craft that went into it-- it was all about price. We just didn't want to be upholstery whores. My husband is happier doing a job outside in the snow than working so hard on pieces that weren't appreciated. Bravo to your courage!
Wishing you many blessings as you listen to your heart about this. I have faith and hope that you will be led to what is the next right step for you and your family.
I absolutely adore that photo of Mango on “his” motorbike
And your discussion of making art that pleases you vs making art that pleases buyers is exactly why in all my years of making things I have never once been tempted to sell anything. People have suggested that I should, but I like making things just how I want them, on my own terms and my own timescales. I make a lot of things as gifts, but have never tried to sell.
Post a Comment