Results: What keeps you motivated as a designer?
March 9, 2009 by Cyndi Lavin
Filed under Beading, Designing, Other Bead & Jewelry Sites, Question of the Month, Wearable Art
Artist: Irene Lenihan
Blog: Flights of Fancy Creations
I take a lot of photos of things. Indoors and out. I love to try and duplicate the color combination that I find in the photos. I am attaching a photo I took (I scrapbook them) and the jewelry piece it
inspired.
No trees were killed in the making of this email…however, a large
number of electrons were horribly inconvenienced.
But how do we electrons were inconvenienced.. they may look forward to be being danced across the screen in new formations! It may be their version of a party!
I would blush to call my self a designer – sounds a bit too much to claim for myself but here is my list.
2.A lot of looking at nature. She has the best lessons in color and design. Pictures are always a good idea (I love violets with the vivid green of their leaves.) which are now in bloom though sadly being covered up by our latest bout of ‘global warming’ -2 inches of fresh snow.)
2.Looking for hints at the malls (don’t do that very much any more.)
3.magazines – both color combos and design ideas.
4.our clothes should always give us some idea of what combos of color we like or our friend’s clothing. (or at least what we really need to dress things up.)
5. Love the crepe myrtle or the Azalea, which ever it is. Necklace is very impressive but your work always is, Cyndi.
6. Put beads together on a white cloth (or contrasting) and see what catches your eye.
7. look at history for ideas – pretty is always pretty.
8. keep design color book.
scapbooking your designs and inspirations is a good idea.. wondered about that myself, but I just have note books of samples, colors,descriptions of things made. I am getting more serious about taking pictures of my finished projects. I even do some of that with my other work like crochet & knitting, now Cyndi -
LOL! I *had* to leave that little tag at the end of Irene’s email…I love the bit about the electrons. This is Irene’s work, not mine, so even though I’m flattered by the compliment, it belongs to our guest artist
I agree with you though…the piece is lovely.
Of all the great tips on your list, looking around at the mall is the only one that I can’t imagine myself doing
I haven’t been to the mall in a long time, myself. It is less than a half hour WALK from here! I used to do it a lot more. I think the difference is age and just I get angry when I see a plastic bead necklace for 48$ at Macy’s – no danger I will ever buy such junk. The work is lovely, give Irene my regards, also. I love going to T.J Maxx locally (when the universe isn’t falling about my ears!) – I sometimes buy bails and pendants that I use as a starting off place for a whole set. I have a bail pendant now I am experimenting with for a necklace. I can’t come up with the right look.
It is snowing here in NW as I type this. Can we have some this global warming, please. I wearing 3 sweaters and it is MARCH.
Just a comment on the weather, it was about 80 here in Texas today and we have been running the air conditioner. We need rain. The trees are all blooming out here already, so I will have to look for inspiration. The necklace is lovely.
I also find inspiration in nature. I don’t photograph or scrapbook any pictures to keep an idea book but I do keep imagery and color combinations in my head.
I also love stain glass. I love the way it looks and how the light radiates through it. I use a lot of Murano inspired glass pendants in my designs to create that stain glass appeal.
Have you experimented with fusing glass at all, Linda? I’ll bet you could get the stained glass look that way too!
These ideas are wonderful, however they sound like answers to the question: “Where do you find inspiration?” The question “What keeps you motivated as a designer?” seems more difficult to answer. When I look around my house and see all the things that need to be done, or I know I have to pick up one kid from swimming at 2:30 and take the other one to a band performance at 5:00, it becomes difficult to sit down and design. Designing jewelry is something I do for myself to nurture my own creative spirit; it’s becoming increasingly difficult to carve out time. Excuses aside, I usually keep a few pieces out to remind me of the great work I’m capable of. And, of course I always have a work in progress ready for the moments I can steal away from the obligations of home life. Like Cyndi, I also take photos of my jewelry, and I find myself looking at those photos when motivation is low.
That’s such a good point Jane! There *is* a difference between what inspires you and what keeps you motivated. In my original post, I said that my most important motivator is “getting away from it from time to time. Refilling the well, so to speak.” What I do when I’m away from it is not necessarily art related, but I always end up going back to my work refreshed
Thanks for your excellent observation!
I agree with Jane; it is hard to pinpoint exactly what motivates us to design and create art. I personally am motivated to create jewelry for several reasons. I think one of the reasons is it is a way to release stress, and have quiet time to myself for reflection on my day. All of those little problems melt away when I can concentrate on something that makes me happy. Also, I am motivated by the fact that I am creating something just for me or for someone I love. This piece is an original; there is nothing else out there like it. It is a way for me to not only leave behind a piece of my heart and soul for the future but to also just simply make someone in my life smile. Finally, I agree with Kathleen Mary about the prices of jewelry in some stores. It is ridiculous that large department stores charge so much money for beaded jewelry. I think anyone who makes their own jewelry can get a good laugh at that, because we know that we can create something just as beautiful and have fun doing it.
Spending time doing something we love…what could be more motivating than that? Thank you for that insight, Lisa!