Waking a Sleeping Muse...

Do you ever have times when your muse seems to abandon you? Many creative people suffer from these droughts and I'm no exception. I've had no inspiration or motivation since well before Christmas which is a long time for me. Usually I can kick start things just by swapping activities for a while to get a new perspective but this time nothing seems to have clicked. Sometimes we just need to take a break for a while - last year was pretty busy and I did dive into and get engrossed in quite a few new activities but it's been rather frustrating to find myself staring into the distance whenever I've tried to start something.

I've been trying to improve my fitness levels of late by walking more so this week I decided to see if I could kill two birds with one stone and use my walks to go in search of inspiration and try and wake up my sleeping muse. Camera in hand I headed out to Hengistbury Head - a beautiful coastal nature reserve that never fails to lift my spirits and this visit was no exception. I had plenty to play with by the time I got home

Anyone who follows me on facebook will know I have something of a passion for the beach huts that are plentiful in my region - they've inspired me to create beads and jewellery in the past and this photo certainly rekindled that passion. I just love the soft winter sunlight in this picture that creates a lovely muted tone to these huts compared to the bright harsh light of summer when they're usually photographed.

The great thing about taking photographs of things that catch your eye is that they can inspire you in more than one way. You can take the subject matter of the image as your inspiration and I certainly think I might be revisiting beach hut beads this year. Or you can use them for colour inspiration by using them to create a design palette. There is plenty of free software available for turning your images into colour palettes and you'll find some in a previous post I wrote here. I particularly like Adobe Colour CC as it allows you create specific mood palettes.

Once I'd created palettes with my favourite pictures I decided to go through by stash and pull out some beads that relate to the images through colour, texture and maybe the broad subject matter. Purely random choices they're not intended to work together for a specific piece but just working through this process definitely got me thing creatively.

Beads by Caroline Dewison, Helen Chalmers, Genea Beads, Jenny Davies-Reazor and Karen Totten

These abandoned lobster pots provided another great image - I just love the weathered colours and textures. Although I've only pulled beads for these so far they definitely make me think of fibres and wires - there you go, inspired already!

Beads by Staci-Louise Smith, Silke Grober, Outwest and Tracey Seder-Donoughe

This image is taken across a wild fowl reserve and I really like the way the stream wends it's way through the salt marsh and draws the eye to the Priory in the distance. It's a very tranquil scene and appeals to my love of anything earthy and natural which I tried to match in my bead selection.

Beads by Analyse Taylor, Rebekah Payne, Kaz Baildon, Jan Onipenco, Pippa Chandler and Elaine Ray

Of course, you don't always have to make special trips to find some inspiration - I took this image while out shopping and I am totally besotted with it. It's a wall of the church of Wimborne Minster which is 1300 years old and features Saxon and Norman architecture. I've no idea how old this particular section is or how long it's taken to weather the Dorset limestone to these glorious colours and textures but it stopped me in my tracks when I was walking by.

I was particularly interested in textures when I was choosing beads for this one but to be honest, I think this image may be more of an inspiration for my own clay work  - if I could get glazes or finishes like this...wow!

Beads By Kaz Baildon, Caroline Dewison, Julie Fountain, Karen Totten, Marsha Neal-Minutella, Kristen Stevens and Rebekah Payne

Don't forget what's on your doorstep either. This Hellebore is one of my all time favourite flowers with it's understated beauty and shy habit of hanging it's head. It graces my garden in the winter months when little else is awake and stays to welcome the brighter brasher blooms that arrive with the onset of spring. I'm not really one for pastels and rarely 'do' pink but this dusky hue with green is pretty sublime.

Beads by Mari-Carmen Rodriguez Martinez, Ciel Creations, Sally Carver, Lesley Jane and Anne Gardanne

So did this technique work in terms of motivating me? Well, apart from having the beads as a starting point my brain is also thinking ahead to possible clay and textile projects and I've been scribbling in my note book again the past couple of days. Put that together with the fresh air and exercise and I think you can say it was a success so, if you're suffering from a creative block grab your camera and walking boots and give it a go!

How to Spark Inspiration/Motivation, Part 387-D

So, a short and sweet little lesson in sparking inspiration when you are so absolutely unmotivated you could cry! The last few weeks have been totally stressful for me...my day job has been converting to new financial systems and I have had to focus on training and learning an entirely new way of doing my job, which involves sitting at my desk staring at a computer screen. I have been so mind-weary every day, creativity has been lying dormant.

Today after work I decided to just sit at my bead table and look. There were some things that had been sitting there for a while that I just hadn't played with yet. I pulled out a couple of bags from recent purchases and looked at them. Walked away, came back, walked away, etc...

Small raku-fired beads by Keith O'Connor

I saw this pile of raku beads I got from Keith O'Connor's trunk show at my friends house.I remember loving them so much when I saw the stacks of these he had in almost every color of the rainbow. I wanted some of each, but was strapped for cash so chose pairs of my favs.  I intended to used them as pairs in projects...earrings, probably. When I saw them all in a pile like this, though, I thought...don't fight it! Use them all!

Copper bracelet with Keith's gorgeous beads.

I didn't add anything else, just wire-wrapped them with copper wire and made a quick clasp.  Simple, yet totally effective!  Disclaimer, I used a stupid headpin as my charm that wouldn't patina, so I'll have to go back and fix it!

Karen's gorgeous beads!

The second package I picked up was an auction I won at the Ceramic Art Bead Market on FB from our own dear Karen Totten!  I remember when I bid on them how much this color combination moved me.   I have been looking at them and fondling them for a while.

Wrap necklace with Karen's beads, an enameled bead by me, and one of Keith's raku beads.

I have been seeing lots of simple wrap necklaces...beads or other components on each end of a long chain that can be wrapped around the neck or just looped over in front.  I thought this was a cool way to show off gorgeous beads in a different way.  I hope to be creating a few more of these.  Again, pretty simple, yet colorful and unique!

So the crux of today's lesson: You don't have to be inspired or feel creative. Take the time you need. It's okay to walk away from something and come back to it as many times as needed. Trust your first instinct. Take a chance.

Freeform Friday: feeling thankful

Have you noticed the people posting their daily things to be thankful for? I have and I admire the effort. I would start, fall behind, and then feel guilty/stressed that I wasn't being thankful enough! But it got me thinking... what experience in the art/jewelry field am I most thankful for? Class? Mentor? Trip? Tutorial? Instructor? 

I ask you to think on this, pour a cup of tea or coffee - and write a response to me in the comments!
My post is brief today - and I am giddy with excitement - and thanks... I am off to Washington DC for the day to spend it with my sister! She lives in Austin TX and is in town for a conference. So please don't equate my brevity with lack of caring...

My most thankful experience is meeting Keith LoBue. He is an amazing artist and an inspired teacher. He calls himself a "stuff smith" as he creates intricate swoon worthy pieces from found objects and diverse treasures. We met in San Diego at the Shepherdess - where he was teaching - it was after I had moved back East but I returned for his class. And we reconnected, and I was challenged anew each year, on his annual trip. I haven't seen him for a few years, he is based in Sydney Australia and doesn't travel as extensively as he did.

My first LoBue inspired mixed media piece. From his "Precious Little" class: antique sterling butterfly, pod, antique magazine paper, glass lens, gems...

Shrine work in progress - center focal composed of pods with vintage pearls, beetle wings, and auto glass, skeleton key, milk glass knob, cigar box, sandalwood fan... 

My first etching samples, my first resin pour.
 Experiments with antique book text. 

These classes were years ago - so I did my first etching and resin under Keith's tutelage - 8 years ago? Before the materials were commonly used in the art jewelry scene... This built a foundation for me - learning techniques to apply to my work, learning them well, being confident to implement them. 

But for me - it was also hearing the right information at the right time. The encouragement to think out of the proverbial box. The permission to play, and to alter materials beyond recognition if the piece required that. To not hold precious things too precious, and to hold dear the found treasures that spark creativity. To honor the patina of age, and the inherent history in an object - even if its specific are unknown to me. 

I was in  a period of transition - having just returned East and trying to settle into my new role as freelance teacher, and more importantly, working artist. I was, and still am working with clay, but it is one of many materials I draw on to say my piece. Mixed media became my voice, and I am thankful that classes with Keith helped me find it. I came away with skills, yes, but more importantly a philosophy that informs my work to this day. 

Aurora: vintage compact, magnifying lens, antique postcard, etched brass, rusted washer, silk...

Gaze: pocket watch case, sea glass, image transfer, pearls, antique images and text, resin, microbeads. 

Tell me you most what you are most thankful... 

Jenny
www.jdaviesreazor.com