In the last nine months my father passed away, I chose a graduate program, and I moved across the country. More changes are on the horizon, too, ones I know are coming and others so intangible it's nearly impossible to even imagine them. Yesterday another big change happened: I started my graduate program, and a new way of being an artist and a new way of living. I had an inspiring talk with my mentor, Lori Talcott, recently and she told me I have to "submit" to school, meaning I must put aside most everything else and devote myself to my studies. I've been thinking a lot about this word "submit" and what it means to me. Then I found a quote by Henry Miller that defines it in a really beautiful way and articulates how I feel:
"True strength lies in submission which permits one to dedicate his life, through devotion, to something beyond himself."
So I submit to school and to my work in a way I have not done before, and in doing so, a few more things are forced to change:
my new studio at California College of the Arts
My Sienna Patti Contemporary solo exhibition has been postponed. Sienna and I decided to put the show on hold until I'm done with school. It's just not the right time. What about the Pearl Piece you may wonder? I will continue to work on it (and accept contributions), and when it's done, it will go out into the world. I've said "no" to a few other exhibitions and projects recently, too, and my Etsy shop is now closed.
I started working at Velvet da Vinci one day a week. It's great to work alongside Mike Holmes and will be a great way to stay current in the world of art jewelry while providing me with some structure and regular income.
And, finally, I'm going to take a long break from blogging and other social media that's focused on my work. These things, although I truly enjoy them, take a tremendous amount of time and I know I will need all the time I can get in the coming weeks and months. My work is going to change a lot over the next two years, too, and I think I need to keep things to myself, for the most part, as I move through school. Starting with this entry, I'm going to try a new approach and post only once a month, and I will no longer post here on Blogger. I'm moving over to Tumblr where you will find me at "I live here now." I will continue to actively post on Instagram and will Tweet occasionally, too.
Thanks for reading. Thanks for being a wonderful audience... please stay with me.
