Denial is a powerful force, it is based in fear and it prevents us from moving forward. I find that in life we have moments where if we chose to move forward we are like a trapeze artist in the air. As the next swing approaches we can hold onto what we know and the swing brings us back to the same place we started from. Or we can release our grip in spite of the fear and instead feel the exhilaration of letting go, of falling and not knowing where we're going. Suddenly the next swing appears we grab it and go forward.
A beautiful cabochon cut by Nick Flanagan was the catalyst of my letting go of my denial and releasing fear. When I first saw it I thought a ring but when it arrived it could not and would not be a ring. I hemmed and I hawed and consulted with friends hoping they didn't see what I saw, but they saw it to, this cabouchon looked like a butterfly wing and I don't do butterfly jewelry!
Placing a faceted citrine bead next to it, the golden color a perfect match to the lines in the stone I waited for inspiration, yet nothing came to me. I tried to force it to be a pendant, a locket, I doodled, waited and nothing. One day while working on another piece I stopped and looked at that cabochon on my bench, my mind cleared, silver wings appeared, it grew legs and stood up it's wings opened then gently closed...slowly it turned and looked at me. The design was clear, creating it would take 3 months This was not to be rushed, at each stage I stopped and studied the progress and contemplated what was the next step, how would or could it be done. Some parts didn't work and were discarded and redone yet each fail became a gain. All the while my mind excitedly raced to new projects igniting my passions. When the different parts were fused, cleaned and prepped it was time to put it together. Finally the piece was done and in truth I was transformed. My fear released I was going in a new direction a place that harkens back to my beginning days of silversmithing with a new forward motion. I 've revamped and renamed my website to better explain my work and I've created a facebook page with the same name and will be posting my work and stories there as well. I'll fulfill my love of a graceful table creating small functional and decorative pieces that enhance the dining experience. I'll be feeding my passions making jewelry for the body and table.