To Play And To Practice

Two really valuable studio things that I have learned over the years are to play and to practice. Years ago, when life had more responsibilities, my creative time was rushed. I approached quite seriously wanting to get right to whatever I was making and to have it turn out perfectly the first time rather than exploring options and possibilities. Surprisingly, I didn't learn to practice until I first learned to play. And that took a long time because play is hard work.

Some of the ways I play are to make something just because I want to without trying it on or even wearing it or exploring a new technique or supply or following up an idea. This textile cabochon is one of my play pieces - just sample to see what might happen before I invest a lot of time, money, and energy into this idea. Together play, practice, and sampling are making my work more interesting and fun to create.

I wrapped the cabochon into a wire weaving pendant. When I finished this piece, I was doing a happy dance celebration. It was a huge step forward. Textile jewelry is a goal I've been working on since 2012 and combining textile elements and wire weaving is a goal I've been working on since 2017. When I made this piece, put it in the liver of sulfur patina, and sanded off the high points, the piece was better than okay. It has potential. I'm definitely going to keep playing in this direction.

This week, I'm working on two labour intensive projects - one is in the yard building a deck and two sets of stairs just off my studio and one is in the studio piecing a leather purse from scraps as an assignment for an online class. It's due Friday so hopefully I can show it to you in the next posting.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - practice pays off