Commissions

Some people don't like commissions.  They take a lot of extra time.  It's a lot of work...  I like them.  I get to explore ideas that I wouldn't necessarily think about without the input of another.  It's a wonderful opportunity to collaborate.  So much comes from a commission piece.  Relationships are built, new ideas are explored, old ideas are given voice.  It's so much fun!

For a very long time, I've been wanting to create a cedar frond pedant.  I've looked at the cedars on our property for mold making possibilities, but nothing ever worked out.  With the start of a new commission, I ventured off my property.  Yea!  I found an amazing cedar shrub at my new studio that was perfect for this project, and perfect for future projects.

I've learned new techniques with this commission project and past commissions.  It's so exciting to be given the opportunity to play and get paid for it.  Some might say that we aren't paid enough for commissions, but the skills learned from a commission are forever.  What price can you put on that?

Here are some views of the items I created with my experiments for this commission...

I am so happy with the work that has come out of this commission.  I feel like I have gained so much as a result!

Inspiration from New Friends

Recently, I received a phone call from a woman in the midwest.  She had been to our lovely island this past March and met 5 other women who shared a similar interest.  They are all writers.  They stayed at a very special place called Hedgebrook.  It's a wonderful little retreat center for writers.  I don't know much more about their story, except for a common desire of theirs.

The woman that called said they wanted to commemorate their time at Hedgebrook with an organic charm necklace.  My wheels immediately started spinning as she told me more about what they were looking for.  They wanted a charm with cedar or pine, an oyster or scallop shell and a charm with the word "WISH" on it.  After several back and forth emails with examples, I decided to make a few samples.

I've been wanting to make a charm with cedar on it for a long time, but the cedar boughs on the trees that surround my home are too big for a charm.  With a pair of scissors in hand, I set out from my studio to see what I could find there.  Fortunately, there are a pair of cedar shrubs that flank the studio entrance.  They are a bit different than the trees that grow wild here, in that the size and spacing of the "needles" is smaller and tighter.  It was an exciting find!

I set out to make a couple of silicon molds and cast a few pieces in silver.  It was so much fun to create these samples.  I also put together a bead cap for a little pearl.  It was an additional idea that they had after we started conversing.  I have a picture of the three samples that were sent to the group.

 

I don't usually make samples for a custom order, but I am so glad I did this time.  I love each of the charms and decided that the WISH charm/necklace was going to be mine - at least for a time.  I wore it to our First Saturday Artwalk at Whidbey Art Gallery last night and three of the gals from the Hedgebrook retreat were there.  They loved it!  It's so rewarding to see and idea become a reality and have it please the intended receiver!  Thank you Sheroes of Hedgebrook!