In my last entry I tried to answer my own question about marketing and got good replies for what I had written. My girlfriend, Brenna, immediately noticed that what I had written was very dry and emotionless. I had to agree with her so here is another attempt to answer the question in a evocative light.
Usually my work centers around a technique I want to try, a stone I want to feature or look I’m trying to achieve. As far as technique, I want to make amazing work, I want other crafts-persons to look at it and wonder how I did it. I want to break new ground and innovate in my art. I want to challenge myself. I have lots of passion around my techniques. I often challenge myself so much that I have no way of knowing how my work will turn out. I hate documenting my work because I am often so full of fear that I will fail in my new technique that I don’t want to jinx it with documentation or have records of failure. How many years do I need to work before I have more confidence? I don’t think this applies, I need to be scared to be fulfilled. Safety in technique bores me, it doesn’t get my blood going. It’s hard for me to express how passionate I am about technique, I want my dad to be amazed. I have worked long enough to know that the person who falls in love with my work enough to buy it usually won’t realize what I put into it, that’s OK, if the technique stuck out so much I feel I will not have done my job. My work isn’t a college art project, technique must be in the background and the “LOOK” is what is seen. The emotion elicited is the most important thing. My work is usually an investment purchase, classic enough to be worn with anything and be the trademark on the little black dress. If it isn’t noticed enough to be complimented then something is wrong. I never want my work to try to hard. It is a trademark not a billboard.
If I am featuring a stone, a gorgeous piece of the earth, I want to employ all of the technique I can as described above but have my work as a frame for the stone. The color of the stone compliments the wearer, is part of the trademark. The stones I use are often the reason my work is an investment piece. Color is so important but is nothing with out the technique to back it up. Stone quality is a passion of mine.
I have several different looks. I make traditional Patania look jewelry. I love making these pieces, it is comfortable. May passion for technique is completely thrown into the making of these pieces. The design is Patania, not my own. The design of Patania work owes everything to my father and grandfather, I am a pure craftsman while making these. Another look I have is re-making dad’s and grandfather’s designs, again pure craftsman. My love of making these is learning what my fore father’s felt, what techniques they used, their shoes which I get to walk around in like few people get to do. I get to use tools they used and have the feelings they had. I get to look through their eyes, I am so gratefulfor this opportunity. Another look is Southwestern, using turquoise and silver I get to innovate in materials I love. Sometimes I tweek the designs with gold, what a fantastic option. Another look is my Patania Line in which I recreate dad’s and grandfather’s best selling designs with a few classics of my own with an eye toward value. My challenge here is to craft the Patania Line in a way which maintains the quality we are known for with new tools which makes the work simpler. Less hand work, more reliance on tooling. I love the challenge of the Patania Line. The one look which terrifies me the most is my art work. I put my heart on the line in my art. Not only is my heart on the line in my design but in the craft. In my art I utilize all my knowledge and tools. My designing pushes my out of my comfort zone, my feeling is raw and the fear is more than balanced by the desire and need to make my art. I have no control in my art, it is not up to me. All the spirituality I can demonstrate is thrown into my art. It is a gift to me and I want it to be loved.
I want people to fall in love with my jewelry, I want my work to be worn and enjoyed for generations. I want my work to be the piece which freezes time and brings back good memories of where, when and why it was purchased. I want my jewelry to be appreciated for the life of the wearer. I want my work to be the piece you want to wear when you open up your jewelry box and see it. I want my art to be the piece you plan your clothing around. I want you to love it as much as I loved making it. I want you to be complimented for wearing my jewelry. I want my art to add to the enjoyment of your life.
Latest posts by Sam (see all)
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the extra effort to write again, Sam. You’ve painted a much better picture of the passion behind the purpose and the different purposes for your art. And I’m not sure there’s as much craftsmanship in the Patania work as you think, though I understand your debt to earlier generations; There’s art in all of it, in my humble opinion.
I wouldn’t mind being in your shoes.
As a jeweler and artist and instructor your last paragraph hit home. I have had some luck in having my pieces purchased knowing that they would be passed on to family members. I create high end sterling silver Judaica. One reason that I went in the direction of creating Judacia objects was the fact and notion that I wanted my work to be passed on, appreciated from one family to the next. I have always felt that my work was to be an heirloom, I never wanted to create trendy, fashion conscious pieces. I wanted to create what I wanted to create.
It pains me to see allllllll the wonderful pieces of work that are merely being melted down for money. I do understand most of the reasons why it is done BUT when it comes to pieces that will never be created again it breaks my heart.
Genevieve Flynn
Your last paragraph is what every artist desires but few achieve.
I went with a friend to a gold/silver buying party where the buyer was snapping up jewelry at about half of the market price. There were some truly awesome pieces of silver and gold that were just going to the smelters. Folk that were just hard up to pay for Christmas were selling everything that had silver or gold in it, one had a fine English silver cream and sugar service, another had some very nice Hopi jewelry, another Zuni work, and all of it going for about $15 and ounce. Some of the gold items were equally nice but I not that into gold so it wasn’t quite the shock to see it going to the smelter. I was wondering is this the fate of all my work over the years, all my heart and soul that has gone into this over the years, is it going to end like this too? I read once that almost all the gold ever mined is still in circulation, it just gets remelted and used again. Is this the fate of all our effort? You are better off than most artists to put all your effort in to high quality craftsmanship and excellent designs. Your work will not share the fate of mine. Your’s is too good to just go to the smelter.
Sam,
You have achieved the goals you strive for.
Relax, you deserve it.
Hugs,
Terrie