Taming the Tangle

A little synchronicity to share

After my last post about my Anemone series and touching on the artistic struggle, which has received some great comments here and on my Facebook fan page, I had a bit of synchronicity about the artistic struggle while watching a movie that's been on my Netflix cue forever (I'm trying to tackle some of those that have been bogging the list down). Have you seen Kiki's Delivery Service?

It's a cute, quirky animated film. I don't want to oversell it because it's not one of my favorites, yet it's sticking with me. Kiki is a young witch who is striking out on her own at 13, the age when all witches spend a year on their own in training. The lessons are those that life tends to teach, and they are all rather charming. At one point Kiki crosses paths with an artist who talks to her about following your own path. You can be many things in your life (and she lists all the things that she has been) and it's always best to come back to your true center and find what makes you happy in this world.

So great to have this message reinterated to me in many different ways over the past week... from clients to fellow artists to a cute animated film. That's the best synchronicity, when the universe sends the same message in many different forms to make sure you are listening and got it.

It also got me thinking about all the different jobs I've done in my life: tie dye tshirts, MC Hammer pants, copy girl, candy maker, mother's helper, reading to the blind, babysitter, airport "shuttle" (a hilarious time with a small Toyota Corolla and my right leg in a cast... aah, college), writer, newspaper editor, proofreader, poster designer, Student Affairs assistant, university publications designer, magazine designer, bead shop employee, freelance graphic designer... and the list goes on and has led me to this place that continues to evolve as I find a way for it to work for me.

Return of the anemone

Since last fall with the chaos of life, I've been working hard to get "unblocked." I'm working a lot and making pieces... not feeling totally stalled out, yet there are piles of sketches that I haven't even addressed. Sometimes it's easier for me to tackle production rather than enter that squirmy realm of making something new... pulling the ideas out, engineering them, letting them take shape. Then there's the reality of setting aside that kind of exploratory time in the studio, but play is important and some of my best pieces over the years have come from these moments.

And then there's the photography and possibly fear of showing something new... and the sometimes sadness when everyone else doesn't love what you did. Or maybe they love what you did but no one bought it... making it a tough business decision to keep pursuing it.

Anemone Brooch, photo by Larry Sanders, © 2012 Kathy Frey. This brooch is in my private collection because the engineering on it isn't quite perfect. And it's also weird. I've tweaked the pin stem so it works better, yet never remade a brooch for sale because everyone thought it was so strange... which is exactly why I love it so. I would love to see some out in the world, though! So this is one to put on the "revisit" list.

Or maybe you sold a couple of pieces from a collection but never continued flushing the ideas out fully to make them more marketable.

Black Gold Anemone Necklace, photo by Larry Sanders, ©2012 Kathy Frey. This photo is one of my favorites. I loved exploring the gold against the oxidized pieces. This necklace is now in a private collection... hopefully being worn!

 

Black Gold Double Anemone Strand necklace, photo by Larry Sanders, © 2012 Kathy Frey. This necklace is one of my favorites for how it lays. It has an interesting drape that is slightly off center. The branching pieces are really special on this one, and I love the sprinkling of 14k gold. I still show this piece... it is still available if you are interested. I'm wondering if I need to revisit the clasp to make it more secure... some people are afraid of the little tiny hook... I just like how it blends in with the design.

Who knows, it's nebulous to think about yet most artists know how it feels. One year not so very long ago, I got really hyped up about my anemone series... pushing my pod forms to be asymmetrical, weirder... playing with the ideas of "growth" and "emerging."

This mis-matched pair of anemone earrings just sold at the end of 2011. They are one of my favorite pairs of earrings ever! Many comments put me off of making mis-matched earrings, but I really do want to explore more... they are so fun, playful, and intriguing to me.

Due to the way the pieces are made, each one is totally one of a kind, which also raised my price point. When I showed them, sometimes the negative comments hurt, especially when I loved them so.Yet mostly the feedback was positive... not sure why the negatives sunk in so much.

Anemone Ring, photo by Larry Sanders, © 2012 Kathy Frey. This ring never sold because many people were daunted by the idea of wearing something so tall, yet the attention it has received got my work in numerous magazines and books... and most importantly it was fun to make! Sometimes you just have to let your inner workings as an artist show... not everything has to be about sales.

Now that I'm looking back over this series, I'm so happy to see all the good things that did come out of it. Publicity, sales, and design... that's why it's time to revisit it as well as some of those other ideas I've shelved.

Gold Anemone Double Strand Necklace, photo by Linda Savitz, © 2012 Kathy Frey. This was one of my efforts to combine the weird with the glamorous. It's my "from the sea" piece where I've mixed in Tahitian pearls and natural keishi pearls around the chain. I chose pearls that were naturally weird and organic, much like the shapes I wrapped to mix in. There are also raw diamonds in the mix for sparkle and a sandy texture... I liked making that connection with the pearl/ocean theme. This piece is also available and currently on show at Rare Gallery in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Many people comment on it trying to find a recognizable form (like a shoe, the most common comment)... I'm hoping it will reach out and speak to the right person who likes the organic oceanic feel.

Last year I got a custom order for a pair of anemone clip earrings... it's taken me almost a year to face them. And now I'm jazzed again and want to make more pieces in this series! Artistically I felt like it was a strong direction for me because it's so hard to wrap and construct the asymmetrical pieces... I like that challenge for myself. And with the earrings I'm working on engineering different ways to join the branches together that doesn't feel so cumbersome. I will have to charge what I have to charge... which is something all artists have to reckon with. Yet I'm lucky to have a supportive fan base.

Proof that a new piece in the anemone series is underway! Thanks to my special client for pushing me back in this direction.