Creating and Assessing or Assessing and Creating

Here’s another new piece I’ve recently listed. I test drove this one a couple times at work and always get tons of compliments on it! I might have a hard time letting it go! I paired one of my glass tile pendants with chunky colorfully-dyed turquoise nuggets. You can find it here in my Etsy shop.

I’ve been assessing and reassessing what I’m doing with all my various art forms here lately, and more importantly, how I’m able to incorporate, or not incorporate, them into my daily life as a full-time working mom. I was recently working on a wholesale order. I was hesitant to take it on initially because I’ve just never really thought wholesaling was for me. Well, I was right. In the end, even though I finished creating the entire order (25 glass tile pendants), I decided to cancel it. The potential buyer was incredibly sweet, but I just finally decided my time was worth far more than the wholesale price she was offering. And I’ll take the fault for that. I should have set my price higher to begin with, but after several back and forth emails with concerns shared on both sides, I just decided it was best to cancel.

It was a very valuable lesson for me. Juggling a full-time day job, part-time teaching, twin girls, a husband, and my creative play (note I called it play and not work), my time is just too valuable to create on demand on a schedule. And I think that’s where that assessment comes into play. Do I create for others, to sell my work, or do I create for me, just for the outlet that creativity provides? More and more, I’m finding that it’s far more important for me to create for me. Sure, I’ll still list my work online and participate in a few arts festivals a year simply because I truly enjoy them (though I must admit, what I really, really enjoy about them is seeing all the other beautiful work out there!), but I’ve noticed more and more lately that I’m really having a hard time focusing on one thing! I hop from jewelry to mixed media to photography, and now I’ve caught the book-making bug. (I blame, um, credit you for this, sweet Leah. :-)

Mermaids and Mamas is next weekend, and I'm thrilled beyond belief that we sold out. Through this event, I've been able to combine my 16 years working in experiential education with my love of art and children, so this really just feels right. The girls and I are so looking forward to playing with everyone, and I'm hoping it will be the first of many. And what will be we doing? Oh, a little jewelry, a little mixed media, some photography, some book-making…and who knows what else…definitely some hula-hooping, bubble blowing, fairy wandering, and s’mores making…maybe even a little late-night toenail painting. It will be an artful adventure for sure! Creating just for the fun of creating and spending time together…