Clay pendant necklace, hand made one of a kind pendant, with semiprecious beads and swarovski crystals by Tammy Vitale
If I do morning pages, I run up against the clock for blogging. Then if I blog, I run up against the clock for reading other blogs. Which totally squashes everything else. Which is all by way of saying I’m not blogging or reading as many blogs as I might normally hope to. And of course it’s the beginning of the month which means I’m do switch outs of all my local art spaces and then I’m going on retreat next week and so it feels like time is contracting. But it isn’t.
Yesterday I’m claiming time making my necklace as my artist’s date….because it sure felt like that with all those lovely beads. I wasn’t alone alone as the owner is a friend who helped me with the parts I couldn’t figure out. But I definitely cleared space on my very crowded calendar to give myself time to do this creative thing. In the process I am learning beading and loving it.
So this is short – hoping to do something longer for tomorrow (tonight and prepost since tomorrow I leave at 7:15 am and probably don’t get home til 9:30 pm if that early!).
thought for the day: I remind myself of this when I cannot et any work done: to live as if I am dying, because the truth is we are all terminal on this bus. To live as if we are dying gives us a chance to experience some real presence. Time is so full for people who are dying in a conscious way, full in the way that life is for children. The spend big round hours. So instead of staring miserably at the computer screen trying to will my way into having a breakthrough, I say to myself, "Okay, hmmm, let’s see. Dying tomorrow. what should I do today?" Then I can decide to read Wallace Stevens for the rest of the morning or go to the beach or just really participate in ordinary life. Any of these will begin the process of filling me back up with observations, flavors, ideas, visions, memories. I might want to writ on my last day on earth, but I’d also be aware of other options that would feel at least as pressing. I would want to keep whatever I did simple, I think. And I would want to be present. Anne Lamott Bird by Bird
7 Comments
I know exactly what you mean, as another artist during this busy time of year. Do you also have children who live at home? Regardless, the necklace here and the ones above while you gallery sat, are beautiful! It's much more professional to be making art, than reading… I don't read while gallery sitting, but it can be boring if there is not much traffic. Your necklaces are fantastic.
I admire how you find the time to post so many photographs! Your work looks stunning in all of these artspaces! Thanks for sharing this with us.
I love making beaded jewelry. (and wearing it.) It feels great.During my artist date Thursday, several people seriously expressed interest in buying pieces, based on what I was wearing. So, now I have more commissions without even trying. I did not market on my artist date.I'm quite low-key anyway. This was a pleasant surprise. It just happened.
If you're curious what I make,t there's a few pieces of jewelry on my site, under the post "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy". I haven't been able to put them into photo galleries yet. I maintain my own professional art website off the blog arena, so that takes precedence time-wise, after actually creating, showing and selling art.
There's something very cathartic and kinesthetically pleasing to me, in making jewelry. I love the feel and history of the beads and stones. Tammy, you make FANTASTIC focal pieces! I had planned on emailing wondering if you made focals, before you showed the entire necklace here…
It is so hard to balance out the blogging and the writing and the making art – let alone all the other stuff that actually needs to be done daily…and it sounds like you have a full plate! Hope everything goes smoothly for you with switching out art, etc.
not "living like you are doing"; I meant "living like you are dieing" sheesh. freud.
I agree about the living like you are doing; of course when the panic gets in the way – that is a totally different ballgame…
What a gorgeous necklace! And yes, I know exactly what you mean…lately, since I am working on my draft, the blogging and reading blogs has suffered. I miss it. 🙁
WOW!!!! Busy day tomorrow!!! I hope you have some time for fun in there somewhere!
I know! Finding Water and writing my pages takes time and in an already full schedule.
I think (to myself) where will that time come from. But it all works out!