There’s been this battle in my hands when it comes to what the heck to do with leather.
For a while, I’d shiver when looking at my leather bench, afraid to make anything except simple, bright belts to go with my belt buckles.
One of my dearest friends is a leather worker and it always seems like she’s already done everything, tooled every kind of design there is to tool, strung together every kind of bag one could make and crafted every kind of cuff there is in the world.
I’ve been paralyzed by her proficiency and terrified of dancing all over her tender little tootsies,
until now.
Finally, in the past few weeks, I have dreamed up something that combines leather and metal, something that really feels like my own and feels true to my heritage and my style. I’ve suddenly come into feeling free to sit down and create a bit, just a bit, with leather. I’ve realized, even more than I did when I wrote this, that creative freedom is ALWAYS mine (and yours), whether it is encouraged, or not. It isn’t granted by anyone but rather, it is inherent in us all, as humans — we all have a right to create, to express ourselves, to make with our hands and our souls even if that means our work overlaps the work of others technically and aesthetically. Our work and the honesty of our work is our own business.* I love discussing this topic and the idea of creative “ownership”, I could do so for hours really…I so often find myself utterly alone in my perspective that it makes for lively debate — stimulation for the minds! YEE HAW!
But back to the topic at hand, I’ve been making breastplates.
They are entirely handcrafted, including the fine silver buffalo ingots that are central to the designs. They have girth and sit, quite warmly, over the heart. On the body they feel protective, cozy, soft and powerful. In the hand, they feel like something beautiful you’d trade for a three month supply of pemmican, or a cured and lush bison hide.
They evoke rustic living, pioneering soul, a dash of native fortitude and a strong connection to the earth, animals and maybe even subsistence lifestyle — they’re just so unique, so rugged and lusty, so wonderfully organic.
More than anything, I have this grand sense, when I wear mine, that even though I have strayed far from the great Northern plains of Saskatchewan (my home), I can still hang the spirit of the prairies over my heart, like a shield.
They are stitched together by hand and tie around the neck with the softest turquoise suede. A total sensory pleasure to wear.
This is the first I’m offering, the original is my own.
You may find it in the shop, toute suite!
Happy weekend to you all!
I’m so excited to have most of my computer work finished for the day already (oh my gosh, it’s only 9:35AM). I’m going to head out to the studio and work on a few other diddies that I’ve had bouncing about my soul this week before retiring for the weekend. I hope you all have the most wonderful WONDERFUL day.
I appreciate having you in my world, so much.
I don’t tell you that nearly enough.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for finding me.
With abiding affection,
The Plume
*This reminds me of something I was journaling about the other day. I was remembering the journals I kept throughout high school — the unhappiest time of my life. I’ve read over them and can hardly bear how dishonest they are. I wasn’t writing them for anyone but myself, but I didn’t know how to be honest with myself, even in private! Do any of you relate with this? When I flip through a currently tended journal, I’m astounded by how much I’ve grown as a girl who is simply able to be honest with herself, in private and in public. It feels good. I know that honestly is flowing out into all of my life and all of my work, I know that honestly expressing my emotions is healthy and it’s…well…it’s kind of exciting! Sometimes I feel all grown up…
GOSH, I love you.
P.S. I especially love you for these words:
"I was remembering the journals I kept throughout high school — the unhappiest time of my life. I've read over them and can hardly bear how dishonest they are. I wasn't writing them for anyone but myself, but I didn't know how to be honest with myself, even in private! Do any of you relate with this? When I flip through a currently tended journal, I'm astounded by how much I've grown as a girl who is simply able to be honest with herself, in private and in public. It feels good."
I have so much to say on this. I recently found two old journals from when I was going through my first marriage and subsequent divorce, and the unhealthy relationship that directly followed it. I think I am going to burn them. They need that release.
But yes. Honesty no matter what the means of communication. Being you. I relate more than I can describe.
o sweet girl:
your honesty astounds me.
your honesty moves me to honesty within myself.
when i am honest, i feel a heavy aching in my breastbone: yet, i feel free in my heart.
what a gorgeously resplendent breatplate: it speaks of *you*….
x
That is totally amazing! Leaves a person speechless.
j-
speaking of honesty…that piece is so gorgeous it aches.
xo
Mari: Love you back and boy howdy, LET'S discuss this over tea sometime, ok? xx
M: I'm glad you think so! Thanks for hearing my words, in this post. xx
Jean: Well thank you! x
SB: Bless your heart. xx
To me, for me, it's less about ownership of the thing and more about the process ~ I don't feel ownership of the art I've created, the works are not "mine;" rather, I feel that I am the conduit through which the art was able to reach the world. And in order to BE such a conduit, one must be totally honest and totally willing to surrender. And this is not easy nor comfortable (but oh, it's such a THRILL, no?) I think people draw on the works of others because it's a way to wade into that surrender. It's a siderail to hold onto as you lower yourself into the pool. And then some people let go, and some never do.
you have such a clean, yet eloquent, way of putting big ideas into print. i love that.
Mark Twain said that honesty is "the best of all the lost arts." I couldn't agree more. And it's because honesty is difficult. We aren't exactly comfortable with honesty. We elect politicians who lack it, we worship people who lack it, we lack it as a whole. I'd say the more honest one can be, the more whole they can be. It's über-fabulous that you have found that too.
(By the way, your package is AWESOME. We love you guys and have been compiling one of our own for you… maybe wait till we see you…. or before… I dunno, but — LOVE IT ALL. xxoo)
Lovely! Lovely! I want to wear a breastplate while riding bareback on a spotted mare…
I recently found journals from high school, and what bothers me is how honest I was in private and how I tried to put a brave face on in public.
With age, for me, comes honesty. And it's the thing I love most about myself.
Laura: WOW! What an awesome thing to be able to say: "With age, for me, comes honesty. And it's the thing I love most about myself."
What if we could ALL say this? Our priorities can be so strange and clingy there on the surface of things…
GUFFAW! Spotted mare……
I think all of your metal and leather pieces have been wonderful. I do like this new path you are heading down.
Honesty is constant bravery. so many people want to be lied to just so feelings can stay on track. I say to hell with that!
shaking things up makes life interesting.
kathleen xx
Oh, my dear….
This Leatherworker Loves you. And understands the fears, because my hands quake around silver every once in a while when I fear my loves will overlap your loves.
We'll just keep dancing and creating and pushing past fears and being honest. *Saying things (or writing things) out loud dispells their power. Fear festers in the unspoken.*
Jewels can be caught in the knit of kindness and communication. Hammer on!!!
xo,
Allison
That is exactly how I feel about high school and middle school. I was so blind. I still don't understand much more now but at least I know how blind I was.
You are absolutely amazing! Thank you for letting us all into your world.
I think I'd feel like a warrior princess if I wore that. I want one with some kind of Irish crest. Why doesn't John have some kind of family coat of arms or something?
Oh darling. You are beloved.
Our right to create is our connection to God. And our connection to each other.
Shine on you sane diamond. LOVE.
AND – what Daily said – read comments first lack of patience woman (me obvy).
Kathleen: I think life is interesting whether people are honest or not — perhaps, with honesty, there's just a little less clean up needed…:) Thanks for your sweetness. Love you for it. x
Al: I love you. xx
Felicia: Sending you love. Those years were tough times! Life has sure turned beautiful since then. xx
M: First of all, I miss you dreadfully. Secondly, I don't know! I think you should design one for him.
Syb: SO GLAD TO SEE YOU HERE TODAYYYY!!!!
"…sane diamond…" ??????
You are totally writing the forward for my book. xx
Shreve: LOVE these thoughts of yours. Funny, I was thinking, earlier this week, about how I can sometimes be guilty of elevating the importance of an OBJECT I've created over the importance of the LIFE behind the object. "Life" as in, MY life. I mean the way I live my life is the most important thing at hand here, what I make is simply a reflection of what's happening in my day to day decisions, my beliefs and the cleanliness of my existence….or what I happen to see while walking up the mountain…does that make sense? It makes sense to me. The object is made with soul but it isn't THE soul.
It was a real epiphany earlier this week…
Janet: Does that mean you won't ever wash my mouth out with soap? 🙂 HA HA. Thanks, lovely lady. xx
John: I love YOUR thoughts here too! Geez. What rich comments today! I wouldn't say I'm a master of honesty but I'm under intensive instruction. Can't wait for the package! Can't wait for you guys to be under our ROOF!!! Hopefully the bathroom will be un-un-bathroomed by then… xx
I just wrote this quote in my quote journal today:
"Honest to the point of recklessness…"
From the Grateful Dead's "Althea." It seems fitting for you at the moment as well. Keep letting your honesty shine!
Dear Noisy Plume,
Thank you for sharing your world with us. I love you, your words, creativity and images. You are truly amazing.
Your leather, pioneer-woman, breastplates are wonderful! They feel very much like an extension of YOUR musings. Gosh, love that added turquoise leather accent.
When intent comes straight from your heart and real creativity allowed to simply flow freely- it's just something impossible to crush!
I really believe that.
Even impossible to fully duplicate because that's how unique it is.
I think it is common to have moments of being paralyzed in this way. Then you just dust yourself off, reconnect to your personal muses and then follows the gush of inspiration…
I can hardly stand to read old "writing only" journals ( old sketches are always fun to look at).
Very happy to have found you! xo
Angela: Great quote! Thanks for sharing it here. 🙂 xx
Mindy: Thank you for being so sweet, and again, thank you for being here. xx
M: I think you're right. Moments of paralysis are experienced by everyone, perhaps the reason I mentioned mine here is I wanted you to know that the breastplates are how I have overcome my current leather fears….I'll have more in the future. I'm sure of it. But the deeper my belief in the fact that I am creatively FREE, the fewer fears I have and the less I experience paralysis. It's a weird thing, being part of an artist community and being friends with other artists….a weird thing and a wonderful thing.