Sunday, August 1, 2010

Embracing My Mistakes


In my studio, I have a "work in progress" drawer containing not only partially finished pieces in progress but also work that didn't turn out quite as I envisioned, pieces I'm reluctant to abandon. This drawer turns out to be an inspirational place for me. It is much-visited in the course of a day, and sometimes I'll have a flash of an idea, a sudden vision of how a mistake might be transformed. Often these pieces turn out to be favorites.

One piece recently languished in the drawer for a couple of months. I intended it to be like the piece above, but I had made the rim too narrow. The piece then seemed a bit too delicate. I thought about soldering it to a solid circle of silver, but it wasn't quite what I wanted; I preferred the delicate openwork. One day I spotted it in the drawer and thought, "what if I made it convex?" I gave it a try and the necklace below was the result. I loved it!

The etched Always Necklace below was a happy accident. I started out making a Forever and Always Ring, but something odd happened during the etching process and when I pulled it out of the etching bath, it had this amazing, organic texture surrounding the "always" that I hadn't actually intended. It reminded me of rough, weathered wood. Because the rustic texture was not consistent across the entire piece and it would no longer work as a ring, it went in the drawer for a couple of weeks. When I looked at it again, It occurred to me to cut the "forever" off and use the "always" for a necklace. I was thrilled with the result. The piece sold immediately.



The Always piece has inspired other textured work, such as the edge of my Luna Moth Necklace:




My third example is an ordering mistake. I accidentally ordered chain that was too substantial, and when I received the spool I knew this chain would overwhelm the delicate pieces for which I had intended it. It occurred to me that it would be lovely for a bracelet. Below is the result. (I was tempted to keep this bracelet for myself!)


While it would be fantastic if all my work turned out exactly as I intended, I do rather enjoy the challenge of a piece gone awry; puzzling out a good solution is immensely satisfying.

12 comments:

  1. I love your mistakes, too.. I especially love your bracelet! Loved reading your blog, Lisa.

    I started doing my mini wall hangings (in my other shop) because I bought pendants I thought were regular size (for a necklace) and they were 2x2 inches square! I was so excited once I realized I'd found a great use for them.

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  2. LOVE!!!
    I keep little bits and pieces too, in a little container.
    Happy accidents, indeed!

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  3. Thank you, Tina and Jude! And thanks for reading. :) How wonderful that you found a great new use for your 2x2 pendants, Jude. :)

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  4. Thanks, Ande! It's fun to revisit those little bits and pieces, isn't it?

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  5. Thanks for sharing your "mistakes" they are all amazing!

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  6. I've long admired your work Lisa. I too have a drawer of "mistakes", but I find a lesson in all of them.

    xoSherry

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  7. Thank you, Sherry! I admire your work too.

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  8. What a great post! I love that convex necklace! I can't believe how it changed. Don't you love those happy accidents. I think alot of the good mistakes happen by just being and working in the studio daily. Things happen if you are just open to them. Thanks for sharing your lovely mistakes.

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  9. What a wonderful post! (And I am so glad to have found your blog :-) My mum is a calligrapher also, I haven't come across many others at all!) I don't think there are 'mistakes', only opportunities to learn ;-) I have a box full of pieces which didn't work initially, but they are patiently awaiting a successful reincarnation!

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  10. Thank you, Belinda and White Earth Studio!

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