Translating that vitality, that energy into beautiful works of art that have never
existed before is the central force that propels the development of my work.
The journey from first concept or idea to the realization of that idea in
a final product is where I find joy and satisfaction. Once the idea is begun
with the first shaping of the silver wire or the first mixing of the polymer clay colors, the work takes on a life of its own. I begin a dialog with the piece,
each step suggesting the next one, often ending up far a field from my original
concept. It is this journey of discovery and surprise that I find so
rewarding.
My work is all one-of-a-kind
pieces, rarely, if ever repeating a design exactly. The continual dialog
I have with myself is, 'I wonder what would happen if I did this…or how about
if I try this?'. I never know where a piece is going until
I get there, until the piece is finished. If I have made something once
I have little motivation to make it again. When I am finished with a piece
I am ready to move on to the next discovery, the next aha!, the next set of
problems to solve.
Much of the inspiration
for my work comes from the natural world. I have a great affinity for the
Japanese aesthetic and the way they represent nature. Isamu Kurita in his
article, Japanese Art and the Japanese View of Nature says "Among the words
long used by Japanese to define their sensibilities, are mono no aware [the
pathos of things]. The term….is based upon a deep affinity with nature
and beauty, and a spontaneous, emotional response towards them. Japanese
people wish to be at one with nature, and they work toward this objective through
the creation of works of beauty."
I believe
our collective well being requires a sense of harmony, grace and beauty.
I seek an emotional response to my jewelry, that moment of recognition, when
the object stirs a deep seated response in the viewer. It is the moment
when my energy, my life force, reaches out and touches someone else's and unites
us in our common humanity. Only then is the creative cycle complete.
For the creation of a beautiful object is not sufficient in itself.
It is when it communicates with another human being that it's life force, its vitality,
its energy is fully realized.
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