A Child Encouraged

Creativity wasn't something I discovered later in life. It is something I have carried with me all along. 

I briefly mentioned my mother, but I really do need to give her and my dad credit for seeing me as a creative kind of soul.  I loved to sketch.  I always had sketchpads and pencils.  I loved to paint. They supplied me with paints and canvasses.   And I loved to build things, so there was always a supply of cardboard and tape, wood and nails, and never the word, "no" when I wanted to try something.   

One year in my teens I received a 3 foot papier maché sculpture that was simply arms, hands, legs and feet artfully arranged.   They thought it was artistic and gave me full license to decorate it.   It went through stages of wearing those '70's toe-socks, beads draped all over, and eventually I painted its toenails and fingernails.  What fun!   But probably the most supportive thing they gave was letting me enter the contest that was in all the magazines back in the day - the "draw this deer" contest.   Well, I was chosen to participate in an art institute via correspondence course, and my parents signed me up.  

Through the program, I learned a lot through art professors who graded weekly assignments where I learned about scale, design, color, etc.  Back then there was no internet, so the projects were sent off to the institute.  The excitement of waiting for them to come back with a grade and suggestions for improvement was almost more than I could bear.  Although I didn't really pursue "art" in any formal way after completing that course, it taught me so much foundation, and I think it gave me a glimpse into the permission and importance of experimenting.

Adulthood Inspired by Life

When I continued creating as an adult, it was in the era of "homemade crafts," painted things that you hung on your wall, light switches and such.  I sewed my own curtains, made my babies' clothes, wallpapered three houses, and even re-designed some furniture.  

As I moved through various jobs, I found a home in marketing and sales using creativity through concepts and the written word. That path led to marketing senior services for nursing homes, eventually moving into facility management.   Nursing homes became my professional workspace for nearly 30 years.  It was in the overwhelming stress of being responsible for others that I found peace in making, and I discovered that jewelry can encompass almost any art form imaginable.  You just have to imagine it.  So my love of taking care of people was balanced by making things again, just the medicine I needed.

A Maker Becoming

In the beginning I had no idea where this journey would take me, as my primary way to share my designs was through gift-giving.  But after a few years, I realized my skills had improved and my jewelry had reached a level where I could confidently offer it for sale, not just for gifts.  

The next step involved letting friends and family know that I was now making, selling, and offering custom work.  Progress was slow, as I still had a full-time job, but at least things weren't gathering in a closet, or at least not staying there very long.  Still, my sales efforts were timid.  I almost waited for people to contact me.  Eventually I realized that creating and sharing my work required the same courage used in trying new techniques.

As I moved into semi-retirement, I finally had the luxury of exploring ideas without constantly watching the clock, and not just taking scheduled classes, but being able to spend some real time in the studio.   

A Supportive Environment

I would be terribly remiss if I didn't give my husband, Mervin, a much-deserved shout-out for his support in this journey, as he has surprised me with miniature versions of man-size work tools (like a drill press, a sander buffer, and even mini-anvils), work lights, and even supplies from time to time.   His encouragement to move my main workspace into our living room so we could spend time together was such a surprise.  I hadn't ever thought of my living room as more than just a place to watch TV., but now we gather in the evening, on weekends, and whenever the mood strikes I can scoot over to the "studio" and we are still together.  One of my biggest blessings is having a partner who allows my soul to creatively express itself.

A Life Fully Blessed

On a personal note, I feel we are living a life fully favored.  Marrying later in life after meeting on e-Harmony - yes, we're an internet match with "seventeen points of compatibility" according to Neil Clark Warren, its founder ~ and we each brought adult children into our relationship.  My four children and his three have blessed us with a whole brood of grandchildren ~ 20 at the time of this writing ~ aged infant to twenty-something.  At home we enjoy the antics of two sweet dogs and three cats, who amazingly enough, live in harmony with each other, and with us.  Yes, truly, I live a blessed life.  I wish Mom and Dad were here to see how it all unfolded.🐝