On Cosmic Success…
There is an old story about a fisherman who spent his days in his small boat , returning with two fish every day. He sold one, and took the other home to cook for his family, and then took them all down to the local pub and spent the evenings rejoicing with songs and laughter. Life was good.
And, then a businessman approached him. ”If you were to spend longer at sea and returned with more fish, you could afford a bigger boat. You could then work them until you had a fleet of boats.”
The fisherman asked, “and I would have more time for my family?”
“No,” said the businessman. ”You would work all of the boats until you could incorporate, become the CEO”
“And, then I would have more time for family?”
“No, you would work as CEO, until you could retire with a huge pension.”
“Then what?”
“Then you could spend more time with your family and friends.”
“That’s the silliest thing that I have ever heard. Why work so hard to have what I already have?”
Stellar Blossom: sterling silver, spessarite garnets, and welo opal.
I always feel like the fisherman in that story when bench jewelers try to give me business advice. ”Make molds, send them to be reproduced, sell wholesale, do more repair work, make more traditional prong settings, sell more diamonds, use gold, work, work, work, more, more, more, harder, harder…” to have exactly what I have.
I wake up in the morning to check my garden. Pull weeds, pick stuff, fertilize, water, enjoy nature, the sun, and birds in my bird feeders. I then go to my bench and make something inspired by one of my beautiful flowers. I explore ideas in shapes, color, and numbers. Explore metals, stones, and my own ideas about spirituality, the creator, and people. And, then I start preparing dinner and enjoying my family and friends. Do I need to work harder to be successful? What on earth is success?
I am also asked occasionally, “Why aren’t you famous?” LOL, I am in my own community. People know that I am the odd guy wearing a funny hat who walks the perimeter of the city every evening with my girlfriend and dogs. Most people know where to find me if they need something repaired that a jewelry store wouldn’t handle, or a customization that they would only trust me with. Everyone that I know, knows me. How much more famous can I get? What else could fame mean?
If you look at the world of art, the days of mega famous Picassos are gone. Even famous musicians are dwindling. It’s all indie stuff and etsy. Even authors now-a-days are self-publishing. Galleries all use art as free inventory that they don’t have to buy upfront. Corporate publishers and record labels won’t take risks on anything but a Justin Beiber, sure thing. And, I am fine with that.
The world has enough designer “lines” of jewelry. However, I am out here making one-of-a-kind pieces. Pieces made with magic and love in mind. Each one as spectacular as my homemade blackberry cobblers and homemade garden grown pizzas. Each one as successful and famous as I can even imagine.
I do hope you enjoy my work, as without a viewer it’s not art. And, since I don’t have a huge studio with many workers to support, I don’t charge a fortune for my time and materials. I just want enough to keep on making beauty, magic, and love. The world could use a little less business and a lot more art.
Let me know what you think…
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