For the Nelson CHAINReaction show I played around with several ideas but I wasn’t happy … they were just not right, they were lacking…. Lacking what I didn’t know, I couldn’t put my finger on it… they were just a bit meh… a bit average, contrived… I didn’t feel good putting any of them out there for all to see.
I was reminded of this talk by writer Elizabeth Gilbert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86x-u-tz0MA), who is of the opinion that the generally accepted belief that creativity and suffering are somehow inherently linked should be approached from a different angle, so we can better manage our anxiety about how the work is going to be judged and the emotional risks of creativity.
During Greek and Roman times artists were not considered to be solely responsible for their creations, because they had assistance from external disembodied creative spirits called “daemons” or “geniuses” who were partly responsible for the outcome of the work, be it good or bad. It was a collaboration between artists and a mysterious outside influence. For me this certainly rings true. I often look at my work when it is finished and think, “I couldn’t have thought this up if I tried.”
So, when I get stuck and don’t seem to make progress I continue, like Gilbert says, “to keep turning up and do my part of the job” hoping that this external genius is going lend me a helping hand.
I persevered and kept coming back to variations of the simple paper chain that we all used to make as children… it also reminded me of the classic chain in traditional jewellery which I liked.
Manuel and I had a zoom meeting to discuss my efforts. After talking through all the different experiments, he told me he liked the paper chain the best. He liked the playful way the paper was linked, it reminded him of the classic chain and the memory of paper chains.
I was so happy…. His thinking aligned exactly with mine! One of the most positive outcomes for me of this mentorship is that my ideas and thoughts are confirmed, that I can learn to trust my own judgement.
My chain connected to Neke Moa and Ben Pearce.
Nelson Jewellery Week was wonderful. I got to put faces to jeweller’s names that I had heard of many times before, saw great shows, listened to really interesting talks, caught up with fellow Handshake 6 members, and enjoyed the fun social events!
Thanks and gratitude to Hilda and Peter, Vernon and the Nelson team for another amazing opportunity and experience.