More pictures and opinions...
I've been working with Photo Shop Elements again. It's trial and error...just because it looks good when I take the picture doesn't mean it looks good on my monitor. I just uploaded several pictures of lampwork beads today. So if you scroll down, you will see lots of eye candy....some good pics...some not so good pics. It will take me a while and over time, my photography skills will get better. Well, that's what I keep on telling myself. (smile-lots of eye rolling here)
I've still have lots of work to get done in the studio...I'll be glad when this week is over so that I can get back to doing what I enjoy doing. I've got so many kewl ideas spinning now that I'm geared to be creating. Instead, I'm organizing....stringing...pricing...all the chores that I'm not fond of doing. Ya know, I do believe I need a house elf or studio wench.
I sat down yesterday and looked at the piles of beads in front of me. Then I took a look at the piles that I had ready processed (for lack of a better term). It dawned on me, that I have no life. I’m driven to make beads…driven to make jewelry. My OCD has switched gears, into the creative process. Is that good? Or is that bad? I have no idea but I’m prolific in either case. That or these beads are breeding…which is still a possibility in my mind.
I’ve also come to a “watery” decision…I’m not sure that my focus in the future will be glass. I’m slowing moving away from the medium. I’ve come to the realization, that my glass work/lampworking skills are fair. I will never be great nor will I be cutting edge. I just can’t make glass sing for me, like I can with metal and beadwork. Glass has been a medium that has been very challenging for me. It has taken huge amounts of time on the torches to make a decent bead. That’s the personal side of glass.
On the professional side…well, I’m not sure that I see the lampwork community (cyber) merging into the art community any time soon. Again, who am I to make an opinion on such fragile matters…I’m an outsider looking in. Plus I’m only a speck on an ant’s hindquarters in the big ol’ world.
I, as a lampworker, have a hard time seeing lampworking/beadmaking as an art form. My opinion isn’t very popular but I see it as a component…much like lapidary. A bead is still a bead. It’s one part of the finished whole. I don’t see it as a stand-alone visual art medium like 2D or even glass blowing. Also…there’s just something about an industry standard of using eBay as a selling tool that really bothers me. I can’t help it, nor can I get over it. It’s like mixing religion and politics…the two don’t seem to be compatible and some how it degrades both thought modes by the causal linkage. This is an opinion that I can’t fully express in writing, it also has an emotional charge to it. Much like explaining a gut feeling.
I don’t think that I will give up glass but metals have become more a focus for me. I also hear my seed beads calling my name. There is a thrill to finish a complex beadwork piece that I don’t get with any other medium. It’s like painting in itty bitty dots of color. Again, it’s the color that I love so much.
I started my adult creative side with jewelry, in my college days (mid to late 70’s). I had the dream of doing mixed media jewelry in the 1980’s. I worked it by adding a medium every two years. Then pottery became the all-consuming focus for several years. Then I returned back to jewelry. I’ve still want to add stone carving and engraving to my skill base.
Ok that's enough of my opinions and personal history for today...time for me to start my day!
Have have happy-campy day!!!
~Moon
I've still have lots of work to get done in the studio...I'll be glad when this week is over so that I can get back to doing what I enjoy doing. I've got so many kewl ideas spinning now that I'm geared to be creating. Instead, I'm organizing....stringing...pricing...all the chores that I'm not fond of doing. Ya know, I do believe I need a house elf or studio wench.
I sat down yesterday and looked at the piles of beads in front of me. Then I took a look at the piles that I had ready processed (for lack of a better term). It dawned on me, that I have no life. I’m driven to make beads…driven to make jewelry. My OCD has switched gears, into the creative process. Is that good? Or is that bad? I have no idea but I’m prolific in either case. That or these beads are breeding…which is still a possibility in my mind. I’ve also come to a “watery” decision…I’m not sure that my focus in the future will be glass. I’m slowing moving away from the medium. I’ve come to the realization, that my glass work/lampworking skills are fair. I will never be great nor will I be cutting edge. I just can’t make glass sing for me, like I can with metal and beadwork. Glass has been a medium that has been very challenging for me. It has taken huge amounts of time on the torches to make a decent bead. That’s the personal side of glass.
On the professional side…well, I’m not sure that I see the lampwork community (cyber) merging into the art community any time soon. Again, who am I to make an opinion on such fragile matters…I’m an outsider looking in. Plus I’m only a speck on an ant’s hindquarters in the big ol’ world.
I, as a lampworker, have a hard time seeing lampworking/beadmaking as an art form. My opinion isn’t very popular but I see it as a component…much like lapidary. A bead is still a bead. It’s one part of the finished whole. I don’t see it as a stand-alone visual art medium like 2D or even glass blowing. Also…there’s just something about an industry standard of using eBay as a selling tool that really bothers me. I can’t help it, nor can I get over it. It’s like mixing religion and politics…the two don’t seem to be compatible and some how it degrades both thought modes by the causal linkage. This is an opinion that I can’t fully express in writing, it also has an emotional charge to it. Much like explaining a gut feeling.
I don’t think that I will give up glass but metals have become more a focus for me. I also hear my seed beads calling my name. There is a thrill to finish a complex beadwork piece that I don’t get with any other medium. It’s like painting in itty bitty dots of color. Again, it’s the color that I love so much.
I started my adult creative side with jewelry, in my college days (mid to late 70’s). I had the dream of doing mixed media jewelry in the 1980’s. I worked it by adding a medium every two years. Then pottery became the all-consuming focus for several years. Then I returned back to jewelry. I’ve still want to add stone carving and engraving to my skill base.
Ok that's enough of my opinions and personal history for today...time for me to start my day!
Have have happy-campy day!!!
~Moon