I have been battling self doubt lately (like so many artist do).
Should I post about it or not. Feelings of being the last kid picked for kickball. Posting pictures on forums and being passed over (not using a lot of silver glass can be a bitch).Trying to set up teaching gigs and getting no responses or even worse "we will keep you in mind" arrrggg, (I teach a bitchn class, dudes...really!) People just not being very nice, and letting them take advantage of me.
Even worse doubting my work and wondering if I should keep going or change paths (Starbucks is hiring...) But a tiny little thing happened.
A couple of posts by some nice people and some praise from unexpected places have given me a much needed boost.
I guess we all go though this, but this self doubt is a drag. It brings up shitty emotions like anger, and jealousy. So I am going to light the torch and make things I like. Things that feed my soul. Because their are people out there who I have touched with my art and those are the people who matter to me.
As my buddy Sage says "Peace, Love, Beads".
So I am trying to get beads made for the upcoming Gathering (beadmakers convention) coming up in a couple of weeks. I have a table at the Bead Bazaar and need my best stuff to sell.
So I am making some cool stuff yesterday and one of my off mandrel beads got to cool and BANG broke in half.
Ok that's alright I can make another one.
So today I made a kick ass pendant. Really it was baller, Well constructed, great colors, nice, nice, nice. I turn to my kiln to put it in and......the fricken kiln wasn't on. Yep busted right in half.
Some days are not bead days. ARRGGGGGG.
My son and his girlfriend decided last minute to take some time and go to Colorado before they begin their graduate programs this fall. So they packed up the car, loaded all the gear and went camping at Rocky Mountain National Park. They are having a blast, camping, hiking, fishing and generally going "into the wild". WHICH if you saw the movie or read the book (you should do both!) I was worried my son would do. He is too connected to his family to do it, but I could see him checking out of society for a summer and hoofing it around the US. Hell I could see myself checking out and doing it too.
The Big Ass Sale went great. Some good friends stopped by and bought some pretty cool stuff. I still have lots left but will be selling it at a "bead" garage sale next weekend, so hopefully it will all go to a good home.
Oh and by the way the sound track to Into the Wild is baller. Eddie Vedder rocks my world.
I used to own a bead store. It was a great store but I sold it about 3 years ago.
So when I sold it I kept TONS of stuff...duh. Ok so I might have kept too much, and so I am going to have a BIG sale at my house to sell off some inventory.
So if are in the St. Louis area stop by. Drop me a email libbyleu@gmail.com and I will give you all the details.
You would think after 13 going on 14 years making glass beads you would run dry of ideas. Nope they keep coming.
I see pictures, or remember old techniques I haven't used lately and stuff just pops into my head. One thing I have learned is to draw it out, or write it down, otherwise I won't remember it.
I am thankful that I can keep my beads new and fresh, so my stuff is always evolving and doesn't look the same year after year. That's why if you copy me or my beads its no big deal, cause baby I WILL come up with something new. Fer shure.
Ok so I was bad...I bought a disk cutter at Bead and Button. It was $115.00 with shipping. My buddy Jim Jones said it was a good cutter cause it has screws that hold
the metal in place as you hammer your cutter. So I bought it and that was about two weeks ago. Argg. I have so many ideas swimming around in my head and need that cutter.
The studio has AC on Mondays so I hope to get it this weekend. Fingers crossed.
Did you see Jim Jones Steampunk beads he made at Bead and Button. They were beautiful and so well done. Jim seems to take every art form and pushes it to perfection. Such a talented artist and his wife Lani is too! They are the main reason I am coming back to Bead and Button. Lani and I are shopping buddies and Jim and I shop for tools....perfect.
