Today's choice from Bruce Mau's Incomplete Manifesto of Growth:
9. Begin anywhere.
John Cage tells us that not knowing where to begin is a common form of paralysis. His advice: begin anywhere.
As I work on reorganizing the studio, handling my supplies and tools, I feel the creative mood rising. How can I label drawers for semiprecious gemstones, handling those gorgeous drops of color, and not feel the urge to make something? "But what?" the inner critic asks. Something simple, I think. One thing leads to another. Just begin with the easiest things.
I decided I'd try to make a lampwork bead. The simplest things, just spacers, or plain bicones for electroforming. For the first time in five months, I turned on my torch. Wouldn't you know it? It seems there's something wrong with my oxygen concentrator. I had that feeling a few weeks ago when I tried to use the Little Torch to do a quick enamel firing, and I couldn't get it to work. After letting the oxycon run for hours, I concede that it probably needs a little help. Tomorrow I'll call about it and see if there's something obvious that I'm missing or if it needs a refurbishment.
After moping around the house for a bit, I decided I'd better make something out of silver clay. That's easy, right? So I whipped out a few small flowers and leaves, similar but smaller (and silver) to the bronze bracelet I made here. The flowers will stack with the leaf hanging below. I'm debating enameling them, but first I'll stay with the easy things and just get them fired.
Can't get much simpler. It's a start.
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