{"id":225,"date":"2010-01-09T10:41:38","date_gmt":"2010-01-09T15:41:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cosmicfolklore.userblogs.ganoksin.coms\/?p=225"},"modified":"2010-01-09T10:41:38","modified_gmt":"2010-01-09T15:41:38","slug":"loras-gift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/userblogs.ganoksin.com\/cosmicfolklore\/2010\/01\/09\/loras-gift\/","title":{"rendered":"Lora’s Gift"},"content":{"rendered":"

This was a Christmas present for my girlfriend, Lora.\u00a0 She handles so much of the business part of what I do.\u00a0 I am at home at the workbench, sketching, cutting stones, and working the metal; but, when it comes to selling my work, I am just not comfortable standing behind a counter fielding questions.\u00a0 It sounds unusual that a guy who spends every day in front of a classroom full of kids discussing art and techniques would have such an issue with speaking in public.\u00a0 I calculated that I have had approximately 2,150 students pass through my public high school art classroom.\u00a0 But, there is something different about standing before all of these things that I have created and fielding questions.\u00a0 For each piece I remember the inner dialog, the cut and recut stones, the problems that arose, and the things that I learned along the way.\u00a0 Usually, these are things most people who are curious about my work aren\u2019t interested in.\u00a0 The aspect that they usually want to know is value of this or that, and that falls into an uncomfortable realm for me.\u00a0 When it gets so busy in the shop that I have to come to the counter and help people, after a few inquiries into \u201cwhy is this one more than that\u201d I am reminded of the scene from the old Frankenstein movies where the monster freaks out when revealed to the public, and they end up chasing him with pitchforks and torches out to the top of some tower.\u00a0 Well, maybe it\u2019s not that bad, but the thought skips a rock across the top of my fishtank.<\/p>\n

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\nNot only does Lora handle the aspects of business that I just lack the skills to deal with, but she is my muse for most of my work, and she is an excellent friend to conspire with, planning random trips, marketing ideas, and ways to include our kids in this or that.\u00a0 I will spare you on how she brings a twinkle to my eyes, LOL.\u00a0 I had to edit this of most of the mushy stuff<\/em> :o)\u00a0 But, you get the point.\u00a0 I just felt that she is so much an unsung part of what I do that even after exchanging presents this Christmas that I should make her something special at the bench before all traces of the Christmas season are over.<\/p>\n

I hear things, sometimes, that she says, and I try to make mental notes of them.\u00a0 Once at a small craft gallery someone was displaying stackable rings that could be bought and worn in any arrangement, changing the bands to fit whatever color happened to be worn that day.\u00a0 For my own work, I am not crazy about making something purely for accessorizing an outfit.\u00a0 But, I do realize that this is something that Lora likes to do occasionally.\u00a0 \u201cSigh, why can\u2019t meaning override aesthetics?!\u201d LOL.<\/p>\n

We had also picked up a parcel of tourmalines while visiting a gemstone trader in Franklin, NC.\u00a0 This was 3 or more years ago.\u00a0 But, Lora had melted over these stones, so I set one aside and labeled one in a baggie to be used in something special for her one day.\u00a0 And, as I was cleaning, tending, and organizing my tools at the bench from the Christmas rush, I came across the little pink tourmaline in a baggie with her name on it.\u00a0 I remembered how she shivered at these glistening bits of pink ice.\u00a0 I also know her fondness for opals.\u00a0 So, I asked her to select one from a tray I have of opals.<\/p>\n

These aren\u2019t the most complex works that I have made, but it was fun to make.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t want to focus too much dilly dallying around with weaving some other idea into the design, symbols and such.\u00a0 My objective was to just give her what she wanted.\u00a0 Besides, these are stackable, rearrange-able, and I can add more sculptural bands to it as we go.\u00a0 Hmmmm, or maybe just the idea that she liked stackable bands and the stones start the story off, and the idea of stackable bands is sort of a promise that I will add more to it as we go along.<\/p>\n

Anyways, \u201cCheers and Merry Christmas Lora. I love you.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"