A Patient Science in Every Process

      The biggest reason I have chosen a creative path in my life is that I love the science that is involved in every process and toll that I take on. When I work with learning something requiring the scientific method and difficult, like metal, for instance, I challenge myself to learn more than the actual process. With many conversions and chemical reactions to practice and learn and I learn to approach each artwork with care and serious patience.   Not only is a new challenge rewarded, but patience is perfected. I also reach a meditative state when entering my zone where I perfect my medium and become part of the piece when in that place of peace.

     To learn any creative process takes time; that applies to anything in life. A baby isn't just born, it gestates and with that gestation, comes a perfectly formed creation. A person doesn't just grow up, they take years to learn a grow and find themselves. Nothing worthwhile is instant. You can't just decide you are proficient at any medium, there is a long process of development involved.

     Lately, I have become very impatient with my own creative process, my art and my hands, especially. My entire body has been going through a rebuilding process and work has been turtle slow. Everything takes me longer now and I have to patiently work my way back to where I was. I want to just be able to walk into my studio, work a few hours, and have a piece done and ready for sale. NOPE! My works take many days, weeks and even months to complete and I just want to skip the whole testing part altogether and get to the end....but again, nothing comes easy. I have to be even more tolerant than usual and rebuild my patience.

     The only way I am going to overcome that impatience is to challenge it. So, I entered myself into a contest recently. What better way is there to challenge myself than with a little healthy competition, eh??? I chose for this competition, a very difficult process; one that will instill in me the renewed patience that I so need. In the past few weeks, I have been toiling away, testing and re-testing, sampling each variety of medium and found the perfect ones with which to work. I chose batik on china silk...seriously challenging!

Color testing with dyes.

     Once the science part started, I was immediately excited, and fervor re-entered my space. I bought all new dyes, fabrics and waxes and did several dozen tests to be sure I had the right combination of those to get the perfect texture, colour, pattern, and transparency. The results were fun, I learned new techniques, and I re-charged my patience.

6 of 24 wax and dye samples

           After weeks of patiently practicing, I set myself up with the super nice silk to finally do my final work for the contest. After choosing the right fabric, wax and color combination, and patterns, I spent another week on the final piece. I got a little frustrated towards the end of the process, as the deadline encroached and I was often interrupted with friends stopping by or kidnapping me to go to rock concerts, but after a difficult last minute push and an over-nighter post Elton John, I made the submission deadline within minutes! I also submitted a pretty cool piece. (Now, if I can just win that $5000!)

When looking at the results of my persistence, I come to a place of serenity within my art. Although, not my usual medium of metal, and certainly not my typical design work, as I had to conform to contest design guidelines, I am rather pleased with what I learned from this project.

Jordan Winery Contest piece "Hibiscus and Citrus Notes" 

     Anyone can say that they can do something, but to practice and be persistent with something to perfection just confirms that the journey is more valuable than the destination and better results are obtained when one takes the time to learn all there is to learn about something before diving in.