process

mary jane dodd

'the creative process is a process of surrender,

not control.'

~ julia cameron

i worked on an entry for a juried show entitled 'process' this week... i knew what i wanted to do, the ideas falling into place like so many dominoes tumbling one after the next... 

like standing at the edge of a cliff, my comfort zone was surely left behind when my chest began pounding... i was doing something i hadn't tried before - and the deadline was only days away... 

if one is admitted to the show, images are placed with each entry... images that allow the viewer to see the process behind each work... i really love that idea... for how can one know what goes into something otherwise? unless of course you speak to the one who made it... 

there is a sense of ultimate freedom when i work like this... 

'freedom is not given to us by anyone;

we have to cultivate it ourselves.

it is a daily practice...

no one can stop you from being aware of each step you take

or each breath in and breath out.'

~ thich nhat hanh

how we grow

'when you're finished changing,

you're finished.'

~ ben franklin

i love the evolution of style... how some shifts/refinements/experiments flow effortlessly, some are hard earned, some are delivered by the muse and some by the post wo/man... some broaden your options and some bring you closer to expressing your truth...

a subtle but significant change for me is switching to lower case stamps... 

as is playing with open forms... 

trying new colors (red is definitely a step outside of my comfort zone - 

browns and blues are not) ... but i have a different idea for them... 

did you try anything new this week? was it planned or unplanned?

so a woman has a deadline -

and it's, um, today... 


she started out with the best of intentions - with a list that was refined during the week... components finished (each and every step)... and all that was really necessary was to sit in one spot and put them together... 


and then, she woke up and had one of those 'hey, what if i...' moments... 


did she:


a - stick to the list
b - generally stick to the list, but be flexible about it
c - veer completely off course and have a blast making 8 rings... yes, 8... 

'venture forth' came first... a translation of my earrings into a ring... there is a 'Q' instead of an 'O', to serve as a reminder that we all make mistakes, but must keep the big picture in mind...  set things right and get back on track... 


then came a 'what if i soldered 2 cupped discs together?' which meant i had to play with two levels of soldering... and figure out the order of some other steps... 

the 'emerge' rings have a lotus at the center of the base...

and then 'what if i etched some of the metal

and added some silk?'

or tried it with enamel...


and etched the back?

or figured out a ring to set off one of marsha neal's connectors for her my mom pattie etsy shop?

or played with etching, patina and silk?

and then there is one that is unfinished - the patina is setting - but i love the construction and wish i had taken a picture prior to adding the color... 

this one is very 3 dimensional... 

by the way, the woman chose answer 'c'... actually, she didn't choose it, it chose her...

oh, i did also make a leaf pendant to go along with one of lean weih's acorns (which i am not so sure i can part with)... 

and finish a special order for a friend - i made her a lotus disc to go along with the 'moon' resin and moonstone... 

let's see,  intake for the exhibit is until 1pm... i still have time!