Lost Muse and Fast Earrings

As a ceramic artist that makes beads and small bits and pieces,

I find it quite difficult sometimes to just sit and make something.

I have tools, materials of all sorts - but no inspiration...

Get me some music, imagery (nature, design, color, texture, etc) and ceramic clay that wants to play without cracking and some favorite tools - and my must shows up almost immediately, and we can play for as much time allows.

But putting it all together - making finished work - that is a whole other being, and my muse…

she usually goes off wandering somewhere else.

Luckily I have a good friend that lives about a coffee break distance away.

Jenny Davies-Reazor is a ceramic artist, jewelry designer, and mixed media artist.

jdaviesreazor on Instagram

And she invited me over for an afternoon of just hanging out and making stuff at her jewelry table.

I brought beads and tools and left with three simple, fast designs to make into earrings, which once I was home and working with more of my beads, headpins, caps and fibers - led to full on fun...

Oh, the frustration that was coming out of trying to wire wrap these simple forms in my traditional way.

Jenny showed me how to do a briolet wrap that just allowed me to fly through these.

Here are the caps and headpins sitting on my table for the next time I go to sit and make earrings.

I though using the sari ribbon would be a good way to hide a lot of the nichrome wire that is embedded in the ceramic clay headpin.

So these are not only fast - they are light weight and move great!

All things I love in an earring.

Sometimes finding your muse and keeping her around are as simple as time spent with a good friend, looking and using what you have in front of you, without any pressure or deadlines (basically forgetting them for an hour or so and letting creativity settle in), and just stick to the basics and expand from there…

Marsha Neal Studio Rustic Beads used for Wire Wrapped Earrings.

How do you find your muse and then keep her around?

Stirrings In My Studio

This is where I go to do my clay work.

It's in the basement - not such an inspiring place to work.

I am thankful to have a designated place to work, but one day

(In my dreams) 

I'll work in the studio space on my Pinterest boards...

Ever since I was young I have been drawn to nature.

I always felt as if I were a teeny tiny being in a huge world that is quite endless.

I studied Entomology in college, moving over into Ceramics.

From there I stumbled into the world of handmade beads and have quite enjoyed this path in life.

In my studio, I work in a series of textures, shapes, colors, always on the quest to make interesting object components for being used in more detailed work...

There are times of production too.

I prefer to work in small batches - making lots of things all at one time then moving onto something completely different when I feel a bit bored.

Which is kind of funny because the current LMAJ boot camp is about designing closures for your jewelry projects. I see closures in the sense of something to hold your jewelry on, and also in the light of finishing something.

That is something I struggle with constantly - finishing projects!

So my experimenting with inspiration from nature, like these poppy seed pods from the garden, goes from rolling out clay and pressing it to get textures - just fiddling with ideas...

To carving out clay stamps, which makes parts...

 That are then assembled and refined. 

And as this is happening, my mind is wandering...

My eyes, my brain, my hands, my heart and my ears are all at work...

Coming up with new ideas...

Seeing the potential for new pieces...

Working out a new series based in something deep from within...

But you may ask - Marsha - How do your ears come into play with making beads???

Well - I am never without my iPhone.

And I often wander with music playing around the studio, house and garden.

(Pants without pockets really throws off my creative groove btw).

And like any person with one of these devices, I have playlists.

I have Pandora, I Heart Radio, and such...

But after a while - you just need something new.

My "Exciting and New" happened from going out to see a band play back in March.

Something Dave and I used to do a lot before the little munchkins came along.

So my circle goes like this:

In the studio - listening to Matt Pond. 

Go See Matt Pond Play, discover The Spring Standards.

Follow The Spring Standards on Twitter hear about Ear Candy Podcast.

Never paid too much attention to podcasts, but my friend Elizabeth had mentioned how much she loves listening to different ones while working - Hmmm - Give it a try!

Ear Candy IS right up my alley!

Holy Moly - For me - It's like winning the Sick Joke, Funny Story Lottery!

It is like hanging out with my crazy younger brothers over a few beers AND having some cool freaking live Indie bands interact and play stripped down versions of their music!

It may not be for everyone - definitely not for listening with kids around - Just letting you know...

But I love listening - it's like hanging out in a studio environment back in college, instead of alone in a basement...

Adam and Vance from Ear Candy have opened the door to so many talented independent musical artists that I now listen to when I'm down in the studio ~ working...

And seeing the little red circle on their podcast is like being a kid getting downstairs on Christmas morning - full of excitement. Makes me hope for Monday when I get to work and listen to them without little kid ears around. 

And whenever I think of buying something through Amazon, I go to their Ear Candy Podcast Website, click the amazon link there - and they get a slight percentage back to help support their show!

Why not help them out right? If you've got to order from there anyway...

So on Friday night, Dave and I went out into Wilmington to see another band play - Two in One Year!

A new record (pitiful - we need to get out more as adults - lol).

We experienced the amazing Pearl and The Beard.

A band that I discovered through an episode of Ear Candy a few months back...

I have swooned and obsessed with their music - especially from their album Killing the Darlings in the studio while working on this new series of beads.

What the right kind of music can do for your creative flow!!!

And then seeing them play live, tweeting with them and talking in person! WOW!

Yes - I get all sqinchy nosed when I'm really happy!

Chatting a bit with the exuberant Jocelyn, I found out that she went to MICA (awesome art college in Baltimore) and is a mixed media artist as well as an amazing musician.

And she has a cool friend that is an indie dying artist as well: Telma of Knitty Or Nice.

Oh - man! If only I could tell her about all my cool friends!

Maybe she'll swing by Bead Fest on Aug 25 for the day after her gig at the Brandywine Folk Festival in Kennett Square, PA - lol! 

She would totally dig all those art beads!

Talk about circles of things. Music. Friends. Being Creative...

It's all kind of awesome being part of this independent community of artists.

Music as Art to inspire creating Art to enrich life by having handmade things to give to people which helps to make memories is a really great circle to be connected to...

To me being part of Love My Art Jewelry and the other online beads, knitting, mixed media, etc communities are right in the same lake as these independent artists and bands that work hard at being creative and true to what is deep down and coming up with really good "art".

And this crazy thing called the internet - Is the water that we're all floating in...

I just love it - Don't You!

So if you are so inclined - check out some of these independent artists and help support their creative endeavors. You won't regret it!

GIVEAWAY!!!

I purchased an extra "Killing the Darlings" cd from the show the other night with the intentions supporting the band and passing it onto any friend that I run into that I thought would totally dig the album, but as I thought about today's post - I thought - this could go to anyone that really wants it!

To get a chance at winning that copy of the album, simply leave ONE comment here on this post by Friday July 19, 2013 for any actions you do like following any of the artists, bands or podcasts through social media, purchasing their albums (or from any independent artist for that matter - jewelry maker, bead maker, etc - Support Handmade!). 

Please try to mention your independent artist in your comment too.

And I'll pick a winner and post in the comments on this post after July 20 (I post here on the 21st, and will announce in that post too). I will then contact you through your comment profile and will put the cd into the mail to you along with something that I have made (it will be a surprise - might be a bead, or a piece of jewelry, or some of the hand painted silk ribbon I carry - maybe one of the new pieces if they are finished soon!).

And if you happen to go and download the cd because you just love them too and you can't wait, then you will have this extra copy in hand, and you can pass onto a friend that you think will totally dig this band!

We Are Not A-Mused by Karen McGovern

Note:  I wrote this blog post about the same time that Staci wrote hers about making the most of a misdirected design.  We share the same brain, evidentally.  Her take on desiging through a percieved mistake was wonderful.  My train of thought here was to discuss what happens when NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK in the studio.  Not that this has ever happened to me......SAID NO ARTIST EVER.

First scenario: You sit down at your bench, all ready to get your ART ON, and come up completely empty in the Brilliant Design Idea Department. Nada, nothing. You look at your wonderful array of supplies and tools and the only thing going on in your head is equivalent to static, or a television test pattern (at least that has colors).

Second scenario: Lightning strikes! You have a brain teeming with ideas, fingers itching to get to work. You are a volcano and design ideas flow like lava. You sit down at your bench and...NOTHING WORKS. I mean nothing. Every bead strung, stone set and wire wrapped turns against you like your bench is possessed by the Devil. Hours later you are left completely frustrated with an aching back, sore hands, and bunch of burnt metal or a design you can't stand the sight of.

Don't ask me about this.  Just....don't.

Attention everyone - the Muse has left the building.

It happens to all of us. Our creative tap turns itself off without warning. The reasons are as varied as we are individuals. Stress, overwork, too many outside obligations interfering, or simple basic burnout! More important than asking "why" is deciding what you are going to do about it. I asked a few of my arty friends how they handle the "Flight of the Muse" and got some great tips that have helped me immensely.

STEP AWAY FROM THE BENCH (or easel, or glue gun, or sketch book...whatever). While powering through a rough patch might work in the gym, it doesn't usually work in the artist studio. Sometimes you simply need to walk away for a bit. Maybe an hour, maybe a week!

HIT THE RESET BUTTON. Go to the beach, park, lake, backyard...wherever you like to go to chill out. Have a glass of wine. Read a book. Walk the dog. Go to the movies. Take your mind to a completely different place for a while.

LOOK AT OTHER ARTISTS' WORK. This works for me almost every time. When I am really frustrated and challenged, I stop and take a leisurely trip through my favorite artists online shops, websites, and print articles. I hoard magazines like Art Jewelry, Ornament, and Jewelry Artist. I look through back issues and marvel at the amazing works presented. It's like taking a shower in inspiration.  I also have a file on my computer titled "Inspiration".  Is store tons of images here that struck me (jewelry and non-jewelry related) as I wandered around online.  I visit this folder often...

Some of the cool stuff I keep in my Inspiration folder.
Yes, that is a baby smoking a cigarette with a chicken.

K.I.S.S. Keep it simple, stupid. This is also a good one. When I am feeling especially mortified at my apparent loss of all skill or ability to create anything even remotely resembling art, I stop, regroup, and make something very, very simple just to remind myself that I can. A single wire bangle. A simple wire ring. A pair of basic earrings. A macaroni necklace, whatever!!! Seriously, make one perfect yet simple thing, then LOVE THAT THING. Take THAT, stupid Muse...

I made this the day that I could not solder a bezel to save my LIFE.
After burning through a ton of silver, I stopped, had lunch, then made this.

Finally, STOP BEATING YOURSELF UP. I have yet to meet an artist (myself included) that isn't his or her worst critic and sometime enemy. Frustration is part of the game. Accept the failures with the successes, and give yourself a break. My worst jewelry concoctions always end up teaching me something, usually that I still have A LOT TO LEARN. We all have that box or drawer where the mutant work ends up. Mine is labelled (optimistically) Restring/Rework. You know, because one day I will magically transform everything in there into something wonderful (cue the eye roll). I have managed, as you can see, to try to keep a sense of humor about my mistakes. I highly recommend it. You have to be able, at some point, to laugh at past mistakes or you won't move beyond them. Resin, I'M TALKING TO YOU.

I have always wanted to have an art party where I invite all my artist friends to come over and bring what they consider to be their worst work ever. I imagine us all drinking good wine, laughing, and coming to the realization that what one may consider horrible, someone else finds simply beautiful. You know that would happen...I know so many artists whose work I would kill for, no matter what. Remember that.

So, the next time your Muse decides to vacate the premises, look at it as an opportunity to teach yourself something new, or to remind yourself that art is an ever-evolving, mysterious, aggravating, WONDERFUL thing that can't be forced. Take a deep breath and enjoy the ride...your Muse will come home eventually.

Caravaggio's interpretation of inspiration/muse...