Comments on: Rubbish http://libzoid.net/blog/2007/05/31/rubbish/ Thoughts about creativity, polymer clay, beading and life Fri, 05 Dec 2008 09:31:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Aldona http://libzoid.net/blog/2007/05/31/rubbish/#comment-76 Aldona Fri, 01 Jun 2007 21:36:56 +0000 http://libzoid.net/blog/?p=48#comment-76 If every piece one made was wonderful we would all be artistic geniuses and there would be nothing to challenge us to push further... the truly great painters and photographers cull, cull, and cull some more before they present their work to the gallery goers....I like to think of it as a process of distillation...all the polymerde [love the term] is an opportunity to hone one's design skills, and work out ideas...and besides, where would the clay for the centers of beads come from???? If every piece one made was wonderful we would all be artistic geniuses and there would be nothing to challenge us to push further… the truly great painters and photographers cull, cull, and cull some more before they present their work to the gallery goers….I like to think of it as a process of distillation…all the polymerde [love the term] is an opportunity to hone one’s design skills, and work out ideas…and besides, where would the clay for the centers of beads come from????

]]> By: Libby http://libzoid.net/blog/2007/05/31/rubbish/#comment-73 Libby Fri, 01 Jun 2007 14:09:51 +0000 http://libzoid.net/blog/?p=48#comment-73 Kathy, don't get discouraged. Sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves and it's stifling. The other thing is, it can take a long time to master a new technique. I think the best work comes from spending a long time learning everything you can about a technique. It's a real scrap pile enhancing way to go about it, but it's the way I work. Several years ago, in a workshop, I asked Pier Voulkos about a bead cracking problem I was having. I was so discouraged because I had to thrown out so many beads due to large cracks. She said she thought it was partly the nature of the material, and that only about 1/5th of what she made was good enough to go out to a gallery for example. At the time I found her answer very discouraging, but now I find it extremely encouraging. Kathy, don’t get discouraged. Sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves and it’s stifling. The other thing is, it can take a long time to master a new technique. I think the best work comes from spending a long time learning everything you can about a technique. It’s a real scrap pile enhancing way to go about it, but it’s the way I work.

Several years ago, in a workshop, I asked Pier Voulkos about a bead cracking problem I was having. I was so discouraged because I had to thrown out so many beads due to large cracks. She said she thought it was partly the nature of the material, and that only about 1/5th of what she made was good enough to go out to a gallery for example. At the time I found her answer very discouraging, but now I find it extremely encouraging.

]]> By: Kathy http://libzoid.net/blog/2007/05/31/rubbish/#comment-72 Kathy Fri, 01 Jun 2007 13:00:12 +0000 http://libzoid.net/blog/?p=48#comment-72 Thanks for sharing this. I'm currently in the same boat and it's nice to know I'm not alone. I've been working on a new (for me) technique for the last two-three days and my scrap pile keeps getting bigger, bigger and bigger. So, to make myself feel better I tried to do something with the scrap just for fun. Well, that sucked too and I ended up with so much self doubt that I ended up just having a good cry about it. But, you know, I'd rather weep than give up. Kathy Thanks for sharing this. I’m currently in the same boat and it’s nice to know I’m not alone. I’ve been working on a new (for me) technique for the last two-three days and my scrap pile keeps getting bigger, bigger and bigger. So, to make myself feel better I tried to do something with the scrap just for fun. Well, that sucked too and I ended up with so much self doubt that I ended up just having a good cry about it.

But, you know, I’d rather weep than give up.

Kathy

]]> By: Libby http://libzoid.net/blog/2007/05/31/rubbish/#comment-71 Libby Fri, 01 Jun 2007 10:58:48 +0000 http://libzoid.net/blog/?p=48#comment-71 I think I have been on a "more is more" binge with paints and inks lately and that may be part of the reason for so much polymerde. At least I am growing my pile of 1-inch squares. lol I think I have been on a “more is more” binge with paints and inks lately and that may be part of the reason for so much polymerde. At least I am growing my pile of 1-inch squares. lol

]]> By: Jenn http://libzoid.net/blog/2007/05/31/rubbish/#comment-70 Jenn Fri, 01 Jun 2007 01:23:01 +0000 http://libzoid.net/blog/?p=48#comment-70 Now see, I think you might be being hard on yourself by relegating pieces to the trash, but if it makes you happy, then I'm sure as heck not going to say it's the wrong thing to do. To be honest, I ended up throwing out half of the pieces I've made in my latest quest. It happens. Sometimes I think it's just more important to try, kwim? Now see, I think you might be being hard on yourself by relegating pieces to the trash, but if it makes you happy, then I’m sure as heck not going to say it’s the wrong thing to do. To be honest, I ended up throwing out half of the pieces I’ve made in my latest quest. It happens. Sometimes I think it’s just more important to try, kwim?

]]>