The point of this is not to rush, not to hurry, not to make as much as possible as quickly as possible, not to be wooed by the promise of profit and fame and attention, not to suffer from narrow sight or insecurity.
The point of this is to aim for perfection, to strive for honesty, to hone craft, to draw on personal experience, to comprehend the depth and root of inspirations, to develop a personal aesthetic, to allow that aesthetic to evolve and change, to be breathed into and thereby connected to the Creator and thereby connected to creation, to turn off the light at night and have a sense of completeness and enough-ness, to feel joy while working but to understand and embrace suffering, to transform each scar and wound into fully healed and robust beauty.
The point is to grow big enough as an individual to not embrace envy, to not foster bitterness, to do your own work (work of the hands and work of the soul), to shine brighter yet, to feed passion, to create with conviction, to learn how to fuel intensity, to keep your commitments, to apologize when you need to, to hear intuition, to know when to say yes, to know when to say no, to build successful boundaries, to grow generous, to bravely fail and courageously succeed — they are one and the same.
The point is to do it because you love it. To love it because you have to do it. Whatever it is. To break your own heart in the pursuit of it. To be healed by it. To have your weaknesses illuminated by it. To be refined by it.
Work is work whether it is rooted in an 9-5 office cubicle, a janitorial closet, a schoolroom or in a small nook you’ve claimed as a studio space in a strawbale house perched on the flank of an emerald river.
Love your work.
It is so sweet for me to hit that spot…..when I don’t……sometimes shattering!My deep wish is that these things lined up for me just as you have layed them out here. In my ‘frantic’ brain I worry there is never enough time. Enough time to do all I want to do and be all I want to be! In my ‘at ease’ brain….enough is enough. Is there balance? Will there ever be? Yin and Yang…not always for me.
It seems to me Jillian you have found the peace,the stride……the ‘enough’ when it needs to be. Your swirled words help remind me to lighten up,go easy,let the work simmer if needed. Thank you for that.
P.S.
How about that horse?!
Ah.
The sweet, sweet spot.
I’m only ever in it, like, 30% of the time (maybe). I have a lot of pressure on me, a lot of the time. Sad but true but honest. But these words are what I am striving for. They are a manifesto. I wrote it as much for myself as I did for you.
As for the horse, I am closer to it than ever before! We have big news here but I can’t share it QUITE yet!!!
XX
What a lovely post!!!
Lately I have been re reading your blog from the beginning (I am not done i am in the beginning of 2011)…your work has evolved so much, you have done a tremendous amount of work, of jewelry, photographs, you are so faithful to yourself, to your man, to your convictions, to your customers, to your readers, it is very refreshing to read this. Thank you for sharing your ideas and…………….your life!!!
Yes, yes, yes. A hundred times. And what perfect timing! I can’t wait to start again and I’m brimming with ideas.
This second paragraph in particular sums up so completely my own thoughts and feelings :
“The point of this is to aim for perfection, to strive for honesty, to hone craft, to draw on personal experience, to comprehend the depth and root of inspirations, to develop a personal aesthetic, to allow that aesthetic to evolve and change, to be breathed into and thereby connected to the Creator and thereby connected to creation, to turn off the light at night and have a sense of completeness and enough-ness, to feel joy while working but to understand and embrace suffering, to transform each scar and wound into fully healed and robust beauty.”
Except in my case, striving for perfection has often prevented the flow of true inspiration to rush freely through my fingers – so instead, I simply strive for a true connection with my subject.
Merci Jillian… and fingers crossed for a horse in your life soon. xo
YES! feeling all these words!! Just returning from an amazing adventure in Portugal working on my jewelry/metalsmith skills and really feeling these sentiments with all my being. I met an amazing artist this winter that told me “I make my art because I have to, it’s my story to tell. Some people will connect with it and some won’t, but I have to make it for me.”
Thank you!
Dearest Jillian,
Of all of the hundreds of posts I’ve read from you, this may be my favorite.
XX
Cathy
I can’t even say how much I needed to read this this morning. Thank you. xxx
I wish you and RW the best things in life…a ranch, a horse, a garden, orchard, water rights, domesticated animals, time and strong materials to build whatever your heart desires for a home, to create and relax, to spend as you wish with much fresh air, privacy, financial and clock-time- freedom…I wish you that, as all true, committed, and contemplative artists deserve.