Being a self-employed artist is a rewarding and challenging way to make a living. Owning a small business requires an ever changing set of skills. In one day, I might be the bookkeeper, salesperson, public relations spokesperson; in charge of shipping, advertising, cleaning, ordering supplies, budgeting, accounts receivable and payable, not to mention keeping an eye on the overview of where the business is heading and looking back to learn from past experience. This can take up quite a bit of time, and when you add membership in a cooperative gallery with work shift responsibilities, meetings and committees, it becomes a lot to organize. Where do I find the time to sit and create? How do I make room for the things that hold my passion and keep me growing as an artist? As far back as I can remember, even before I had to earn a living and was trying out different artistic media for fun, I’ve created a bubble for myself while I doing artwork. Not necessarily a physical space, although that can be a component, my bubble is created with time and a psychological opening. It’s a dedicated span of time and a place to work set apart from the rest of daily life. Sometimes to prepare the bubble I make a ritual of cleaning and putting away the last project’s tools and materials and, to clear my mind, I make lists on a big white board of every task I can think of that will need my attention in the near future. Ideally, once I climb into the bubble, all those unfinished tasks and nagging worries are left outside. While in this space, I give myself permission to take the time to experiment and risk making mistakes. Allowing myself to not answer the phone or check email, I play music or listen to books, I make tea, and I invite my dog to come in, but she is the only exception.
On a normal work day, I like to reserve a block of hours apart from the necessary tasks related to doing business just for designing and creating jewelry. However, when I want to carve a new wax, or series of waxes, I need more than a few hours; I need several days of unbroken time to design and complete a carving in detail. When the waxes are finished, they will be molded, cast in silver or bronze and become the main components in my jewelry, and so I want to put my best efforts into them. I try to schedule my calendar for an entire year to arrange a week or two each month free from obligations just in case I can find time to crawl into an extended bubble and carve. It doesn’t always pan out as planned, of course, the calendar can fill up with unexpected appointments and tasks, but when it does work out, I treasure the time and try not to squander it. I tell myself the yard work, housework and paperwork can wait. While carving, I listen to music without lyrics and become so deeply involved, I find the day has suddenly flown by. I get very excited by what comes out of these sessions whether or not they are successful because I always learn something that stretches my skills and I get new ideas for the next pieces. Over and over again I find inspiration and passion awaits me in the bubble if I make the effort to create the space and go inside.
On a normal work day, I like to reserve a block of hours apart from the necessary tasks related to doing business just for designing and creating jewelry. However, when I want to carve a new wax, or series of waxes, I need more than a few hours; I need several days of unbroken time to design and complete a carving in detail. When the waxes are finished, they will be molded, cast in silver or bronze and become the main components in my jewelry, and so I want to put my best efforts into them. I try to schedule my calendar for an entire year to arrange a week or two each month free from obligations just in case I can find time to crawl into an extended bubble and carve. It doesn’t always pan out as planned, of course, the calendar can fill up with unexpected appointments and tasks, but when it does work out, I treasure the time and try not to squander it. I tell myself the yard work, housework and paperwork can wait. While carving, I listen to music without lyrics and become so deeply involved, I find the day has suddenly flown by. I get very excited by what comes out of these sessions whether or not they are successful because I always learn something that stretches my skills and I get new ideas for the next pieces. Over and over again I find inspiration and passion awaits me in the bubble if I make the effort to create the space and go inside.
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