When I left the studio on Thursday night, I was really disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to do any raising again until Tuesday. And by yesterday afternoon, I was jonesing to get started on bowl #4.
I’m not sure why I’ve been so compelled to do suddenly do all this raising. It started as a desire to remind myself that I knew how to do it. Its been almost three years since I taught the raising class, and I just wanted to check in with my muscle memory.
But raising one bowl probably should have fulfilled that. Instead, I moved right on to the next one. Perhaps its because the process is so gratifying – to go from a flat sheet of metal to something that can hold water. Or perhaps because the process is so physical compared to most of the work I’ve been doing lately. Its really gratifying to know that I’ve wrestled that flat sheet into exactly the form that I wanted. (Or sometimes not quite the form I’m after.)
And there’s a small part of me that is thinking if I continue out this exploration, perhaps I’ll get to a place where this works its way into my collection. I love the new items I’ve been designing, but I feel like so many people laser cut. I want to see if I can bring back a level of skill to my work that is indicative of seven years of higher education in metalsmithing. I want to distinguish myself from the pack.
I don’t really have all the answers, but I plan on continuing this exploration – making and thinking as I go.
I'd like to hear more about your take on the whole laser cutting phenomenon … after doing these craft fairs I'm on the fence. People kept telling me I was crazy to handcut – but only other metal workers were really impressed by that aspect. I've only ever taken 1 metal class so I feel like handcutting is really the only thing I have going for me!
It's almost as if to be "really" successful you have to consider it – but I'm not sure if it's selling out. and what about casting? jeeez … sorry to verbalize my crazy brain freak outs in your comments section!
i really love the idea of laser cutting, but i do feel like its hard to distinguish yourself from the crowd…
you and i totally need to have lunch and chat – we live so close! perhaps a bike ride too!
ha! where's half way between you and me?! someone just told me about a Mennonite that does precision metal cutting with water and garnet dust – it sounds so fancy!
are you going to be at the Rosen show? I signed up for the mentorship weekend there …
i think half way between us is a corn field – and maybe some cows 😉
no buyers market for me, just new york gift. have you done it before?