New Year, New Start

Like the end of a sentence or the close in a musical phrase, the end of one year and beginning of the next carries with it a ripeness for new beginning, fresh start. We often take this opportunity to take a deep breath and start anew. For me, it is time to begin new design exploration.

To prepare for this, I had the great fortune to gather together three lovely jewellers into one room this weekend, whom I greatly admire: my former professor from NSCAD University, Pamela Ritchie, the admirable Allyson Simmie of Canadian Landscapes, and the lovely Elizabeth Goluch. We had tea and snacks , and lovely, fruitful conversation. There is something very precious about gathering with likeminded people … people who may also see necklaces when they look at a tree stump! One focus of discussion was new design development, and how to go about it.  You may think it comes easy, that designs just kind of pop up, or that we just make things, but that assumption is far from the truth.

Below is an excerpt from a letter I wrote as a follow-up to the gathering … it will give you a glimpse into our heads.

Dear Pam, thank you so much for your suggestions!

I think you hit the nail on the head with this comment:

“If you don’t feel a bit frustrated or like pulling hair out – you are probably not pushing the boundaries enough.”

That is, I think, exactly what I was looking for, but didn’t know it. In order to arrive at good, new work, I need to get to that point, whichever way I go about getting there!

In light of what we discussed, I am thinking I may ‘attack’ new design development by doing loose exercises using elements which were present in the origins of my recent work: mainly line, and line in volume. I may work with brush and ink. Maybe paper strips, yarn, rubber bands, fabric strips, copper wire, rolls of toilet paper, play dough spaghetti, etc. Maybe lines in folds, etc. But line has always interested me (Onefooter ring, Crush ring, etc.!), so I may dive directly into that exploration.

I had also been collecting books on nautical knots, which again relates to line …. but that may be too literal.

(…) In any case, the important thing seems to be to give myself clearly set-out restrictions, tight initially, and then slowly looser (but not too loose), and do way more exercises for each step than comes easy: pushing the boundaries beyond what is comfortable. And to keep an open mind, and to keep my mind’s eye away from jewellery, but just be in the moment with the shapes. Then, later, reign this open design exploration in, circle it slowly, and begin taming it like a wild horse ….

Either way, I shall strive to get to a point where it gets uncomfortable, where I want to squirm out of being there, …

pushing through that is, what gives rise to better work. I just remembered that; you reminded me of that! … it brings up pictures of the place on the brick wall of the NSCAD University Jewellery Studio where someone had written

hit your head here

… we all knew exactly what was meant.   I did not have one semester where I wasn’t dissolved in tears at some point.

Working with prescribed exercises loosely and abundantly, beyond comfortlevel and to the point of frustration: that is the ticket. Excellent!!!

PS: I am VERY willing to work extremely hard, and am looking forward to many late nights and early mornings. I consider it a great privilege to be a jeweller, and I am, indeed, very passionate about it. I literally drool when I see good work, and every time I see a dance piece or a painting or even just a beautiful nature scene, something as simple as water running over a stone in a river, I can get so excited …. I see jewellery everywhere!

That passion fuels the fire of energy.

I think I just need to trust in that inspiration, give it a bit of space and a large amount of exertion and bravery, and let it happen. … after pushing really hard, that is.

Thank you!!!

I am heading into the studio …. will keep you all ‘posted’, as it were ;-)