Sharpening the saw...

Nope, not my jeweler's saw, although it's been getting a workout.

Sawing, sawing, sawing and more sawing.

One of my goals for this year was to take a drawing class. I've always believed I'm talentless in the drawing arena, but some of my AJE team members convinced me that drawing - which includes the process of learning to see things differently - is really a learned skill. So with their encouragement, I decided to take the plunge. Sort of.

Instead of a drawing class, I decided to take a beginning painting class with our Roadhouse Arts acrylics instructor, the very talented Stephanie Davis. Best of all, my husband Nick is taking it with me too, so we get some creative time in the midst of of a very busy season of our lives.

It's been an interesting process over several weeks. As has been the case for centuries, beginning painters learn by copying work done by other, more experienced painters.

One of my favorite artists, JMW Turner, started out copying old masters before he found his own style.
(photo source)

But before we could get to the "good" stuff, we spent an entire class (and in my case a number of hours of homework afterwards) creating color charts. The idea was to introduce us to the basic concepts of color theory and then give us a chance to experiment with some of them. It was also a crash course in color mixing, learning all about the colors in our respective palettes. I honestly found this exercise fascinating.

Among other things, I learned that a little bit of Phthalo Blue (with Green Shade) goes a very, very long way.

With that under our belts, we set out to find still lifes that appealed to us. I chose this pretty mixed media piece by Maria Pace-Wynters.

Blue Poppy Garden 2, a mixed media piece by Maria Pace-Wynters
(photo source)

Stephanie told us that for our versions, we were only allowed to use two analogous colors and whatever secondary colors they create. And she also told me to simplify the background, which was a relief, because this gorgeous background is far beyond my ability to duplicate.

It doesn't come close to the original - and as you can see, it's also not finished. I am in awe of the other students in the class, most of whom are able to finish their pieces in less than three hours. I am not one of them. Hopefully I'll get to finish it once my BeadFest adventure is over - I want to do a little more with the background, and I can't get the color right for the little chysanthemum in the corner. But it was a fascinating exercise into how to "see" differently and how to establish an effective communication between my brain and my hands so that I can recreate what I'm seeing.

I did much better with my second project, although it is also not finished. The assignment was to take a simple two-subject still life and recreate it in different colorways to evoke four different emotions: happy, somber, calm, and sweet. I picked this simple, cheerful still life by Pam Van London:

[photo source]

In some ways, this project was more successful - I started with "happy" because the original was so bright and cheerful, and I think my pears actually look like pears. But in other ways, this project was extremely stressful - making color choices for the other moods was very hard, and you can see how far I've gotten with it.

Learning to create "volume" was eye-opening. I've very proud of the fact that my pears actually look a little like fat, round pears!!

Again, other students in the room whipped through the assignment and left with mostly completed pieces. I ended the evening feeling half proud (round pears for the win!) and half disgusted (they're only colors, for heaven's sake!) which probably means I was overthinking the whole thing.

Because of the work I'm having to do to get ready for BeadFest, I'm going to miss the rest of the classes this time around - but I'm planning to take the workshop when it's offered again in the fall. The introduction to color theory has been fascinating, even though I'm at the place where it's still more mystery than edifcation at the moment, and I am very encouraged by the (admittedly intermittent) ability to look at something and evaluate it with an eye towards replicating it. As someone without a formal art education, this has been kind of a big deal. (Plus: according to my bio, I have "an emerging interest in mixed media" and I am loving playing around with color combinations. I might even revive a bead colorway project I dreamed up a few years ago!)

Already, I've been able to put some of that newfound sensitivity to color to good use. I resolved a couple of layout issues for recent advertising pieces that was heavily influenced by incompatible colors, and I solved a design issue on a recent jewelry piece that turned out to be related to the color of an accent stone I was trying to use. I may have eventually gotten to the same place without knowing why or how, but being able to be more intentional in that process was a win.

So I'm sharpening my "creative saw" with pursuits that have nothing to do with my main focus of metalsmithing and jewelry-making, and already I'm liking how it's sparking new thoughts and new ways of looking at what I do. How about you? What are you doing to keep your creative saw sharp?

Until next time -

My Creative Process

Do I have one? Yesterday was one of those dismal days that I think every artist I've ever known has encountered—that day when you wonder if you're really creative at all. Why are things suddenly so hard? Why are ideas flopping left and right?

Yes, that was me. And this was my work table—piled high with beads (some were on the floor too) for a tutorial design that had seemed wonderful all week and up until the very moment I sat down to make it reality. Nothing worked! Colors, shape, texture—they all disagreed with my design!

I began to wonder how designs like these came together. Were they just a happy accident? Do I really know what I'm doing? Am I crazy?

Haha! At this point I laughed and poured myself another cup of coffee… I was doing it again! I was feeling the effects of overworking myself and forcing creativity.

We all know that creativity can't be forced. Some days it comes easily and other days it would have been better to have never entered the studio… or even gotten out of bed, for that matter!

It was a day of reflection yesterday. Most importantly I realized that my creative process has never changed, but it is sometimes stifled. I think that creativity is a precious, and often fleeting thing, and it only comes when it is entirely welcome.

I paused for a bit to think about what's not working for me and why, and also, what has worked to overcome the issue in the past…

Re-evaluating the task: Stepping back and considering what has been completed. I like to know how much time I've spent and recalculate my estimate of time needed to finish. Hopefully I'm ahead of schedule (unlikely!) or at least on schedule (maybe!)… or if I'm behind (probably!) I can quickly determine what needs to be changed to meet my goal.

Re-organizing the mess: I'm an organized person by nature, but somehow things always get piled high on my work table. A few minutes spent straightening things always helps me! I get my work space back in order and find anything that was lost in my creative fury and am then ready for my next creation.

Completing monotonous, but necessary tasks: Marking things off my to-do list is always encouraging and I like to stick to the ones that require no brain power when I'm feeling uncreative. My hands are busy and things are getting accomplished and best of all, the monotony of the task allows my mind to wander on to new ideas.

Being inspired by accomplishments and mementos: I like to keep a few of my recent projects nearby for a reminder that I really do know what I'm doing. Mixed in with my creations on this shelf are several other mementos—a collection of found objects, gifts from friends and family… and one of my very first polymer creations: a little sculpture of my childhood pet rooster, Button, that I made early 2002.

I keep my jewelry boxes in my studio and often sort through them when I'm feeling uncreative. I've amassed way more jewelry than I have time to wear, but I love to go back through the creative process and reflect on what inspired each design. And I can't forget about the art beads that they each hold—from artists all around the world—each bead is an inspiration!

Breathing some fresh air: A must! Even just 15 minutes out to see the growing things (or in my case lately—the falling snow and rain!) goes a long way to lifting my spirits. The quiet of nature with its unmatched creative wonders and the ease of life where money and career are of no significance is a beautiful thing!

And now, today… I'm feeling creative again! I've rediscovered my creative process and I remember now that I do in fact love to create. And that is something that will never change no matter how often I lose sight of it!

My tutorial design is even taking on new life… I think it may become something after all!

So to you all, I'm wishing you a very creative weekend. And for those of you who feel you've lost your creative process and are maybe even going down the scary road of doubting your skills and dreams—remember it's okay! It's part of being an artist. It helps us grow and better ourselves. Don't be afraid to take a break. I hope my post has maybe inspired you to reflect on your own creative process and what it is that helps you move on and get back to the thing you love most: creating!

Rebekah Payne
Tree Wings Studio
Blog: treewingsstudio.com
Shop: treewingsstudio.etsy.com

Struggling with Creativity

Happy New Year everyone! Is it still okay to say that, now that it's 17 days into the new year?!… it just felt wrong not to since this my first post of the new year. I do hope you each had a most wonderful holiday!

The beginnings of a shop restock.

I'm now about two weeks back from a very short, but much needed break over the Christmas holiday and things are once again starting to look much like they always do: I'm packing molds and shaping fine details on dozens of beads, and next week I'll be starting my first paint batch. One of my very favorite things! Here's a bit more of what's taking shape on my work table right now…

If you would like to know what I did during my break, the answer is simple: I made things! In other words, I swapped out bead making for other kinds of making. I made pies, cookies, and my mom and I spent many hours in the kitchen preparing all the other homemade goodies my family loves. I do love to bake! And then I made a few gifts—jewelry, a vase (I was still working on it on Christmas morning!) and some little tiny plant pots. And I started another couple gifts that weren't finished in time and had to be given as work-in-progress gifts. Have I convinced you that I really have no clue how to take a real vacation?

This was my work table 3 days before Christmas! You would have never guessed I wasn't making beads.

My heart is so very happy when I'm creating, especially if it's something special for someone I love. And I truly believe that what talents I have are a gift meant to be used and shared. So anyhoo… when Caroline asked us all about our goals for the new year, I came to the full realization that I really didn't have much planned. I had been pondering things for the past few months and even though there are so many things I want to do, there was nothing really solid, and it finally hit me hard.

A little tiny air plant pot! I made three of these little guys.

What I've realized most, is just how much my creativity has consumed me—filling up every last moment of my days. I joke that if I'm not working, I'm working: it's either my day job or my studio job, but I'm always working. I actually feel sad that some of it kept me so busy that I missed out on time with my family and friends. It's no longer a hobby, but a second job. One that I do love, for sure! I mean, who can complain about doing something that has been a life long dream? But when you miss out on the simple things like dinner and movie night with family. every. single. time. It's time to step back and rethink things.

This vase, for my mom, was my Christmas morning project. I finished just in time to open gifs… actually gift opening was delayed on my behalf. :-)

I do have a very good excuse for being so late: the gift I purchased for her arrived late and was not quite what I had expected. Handmade gifts win every time!

I know some of you might ask why I am complaining at my success. But no, it's not that at all! I'm overjoyed and am so very thankful for each and every success that comes my way. It's not at all success that I am struggling with, but how to rein in my creativity. Just a little bit.

It's the struggle on how to feel okay about a particular bead being sold out for a few weeks while I fiddle with new ideas that might come to nothing. Or when to clean up and turn out the lights in my studio early some nights. Or even for a weekend. It's about the struggle on how to handle not doing it all, all the time. For a person who thrives on organization, schedules, and lists it's an alarming thing to discover just how unorganized I've become! Take for example me editing this post at 2:58am because I was too busy making beads earlier. See what I mean?

I always laugh when someone who doesn't understand what I do comments on how nice it must be to work for myself, because it means I can take breaks whenever I want and do what I want… really!? That certainly wasn't in my business manual.

Does this all mean that I'm burnt out or should take a long vacation? Not yet and no. I think there will probably always be beads coming from Tree Wings Studio. I am often exhausted, but know I'm not burnt out when new ideas are constantly flooding into my mind. Yes—what about all the new beads that I hint at every so often? I do want to finally make them!

I really can make new beads, if I make the time for them—nothing quite like a Secret Santa gift swap to push me to create something brand new!

So, for this year, my one and only true goal is to live life just a little bit more, to stop working so hard, to actually stop creating all the time… to breath a little and relax, and be inspired by more quiet time and time with family. I hope that this will in turn fuel my determination to work more efficiently. I think it may prove harder than any other goal I've ever set…

Okay, now it's your turn! Do you ever struggle with too much creativity? Does it ever get in the way of other things you love doing? Or maybe you have found that happy balance? Do share!

Rebekah Payne

Tree Wings Studio

Playing!

I love playing!  Sitting down at my jewelry work area (usually, my kitchen table) without any deadlines or projects that have to be done are usually the most creative times.  I look at what is laying around and pick something up and inspiration hits...or not!  In a previous post, I talked about letting yourself get side-tracked and stepping away from the projects at hand and just letting the creative process happen.

About a month ago, as I was getting ready for a show, I decided not to focus on all the production work that really needed to be done, but to just sit down and play.  I had some copper sheet on the table, so I decided to play with some simple fold forming.  I have Charles Lewton-Brain's book, "Fold Forming" and love it, but haven't delved very deeply into it.

I didn't document my whole process but took a few photos along the way for my facebook page.

Here are the shapes after being tortured into submission!

I really didn't know what I was going to make out of these pieces, so they laid on my table for a few days!  They were sort of big for pendants, so I decided to make fibulas!

All clean! Ready for LOS and tumbling.

The holes and curve were the hardest part.  I started with smaller punches, but decided to go larger.  The pins started as 14 gauge wire, but they ended up not being as strong as I wanted, so I went up to 12 gauge.  I used my bracelet mandrel to give them a slight curve.

They cleaned up nicely!  I actually sold one at my show that weekend and have the others in my shop.

I think they turned out great and I will definitely be making some more...I really want to delve into this technique and get more "outside the box" with it.

If I had just focused on "okay, I need to make 20 more pairs of earrings" instead of "okay, I am going to play today" these babies would have never been born!

So, go take a day off and play!!


Melissa Meman
Melismatic Art Jewelry
Art. Life. Love.