Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Book Guild - Chapter 20


Welcome to the fourth edition of The Pulse -- The State of the Art -- a survey in words and pictures of the online artist community. Nearly 150 artists have answered a list of questions which make up The Pulse. Their responses will be presented as a series of online and print projects. Secret Sunday was the first project and the links to all the secrets can be found on the sidebar of my blog. The Book Guild is the second project and Chapter 20 starts right now!


All artists participating in The Pulse were asked to name their favorite art books. The Book Guild will present this list, along with links, book reviews, giveaways, and interviews with many of your favorite authors. And as members of The Guild, I am hoping YOU will participate by leaving comments related to the books in each post - for example thoughts, book reviews, personal experiences, or a link back to your own blog posts that include artwork based on a project in the listed book.
_______________

Chapter 20: Stephanie Lee

Kecia Deveney and Jen Crossley both chose Stephanie Lee's Semiprecious Salvage: Creating Found Art Jewelry as their favorite art book.

Semiprecious Salvage: Creating Found Art Jewelry

Stephanie shared the following with The Altered Page...

"Writing this book was an awesome experience for so many reasons. Of course, the process of a little piece of jewelry going from my worktable (a rickety old dining table shoved in the corner of our cramped living room at the time) to an actual book sitting on the shelves of a book store near you was an amazing learning experience. Call me naive, but I had no idea that so many steps and amazing people were involved! I loved every new bit of information that came my way that helped me understand the process.

But the biggest (and ongoing) eye opener for me was realizing that the topography of creativity is as rugged and textured as any Americana skyline. There is no singular mountain of skill we are all climbing where there are people higher and lower than you, in a clear, straight line. Never in a million years, did it occur to me that my book would forever be "new" to someone, somewhere out there...that there would forever be a someone whose eyes were just being opened to this realm of creativity.

In the classes I teach all over this country, I am so grateful to be able to share some small tidbit that makes one person's eyes light up with possibility. In those same classes, I walk away with my head spinning from the creativity that bursts out of all the amazing designs that the students create from what I have shown them. Things I would have never thought of myself.

I guess I figured this book would be seen by all who might ever have interest within the first few months of availability and then quickly be tossed aside as the next better thing came along. Even more surprising, was the realization that seasoned, experienced jeweler's would be intrigued by my basic, cave-womanish approach to metal construction and scoot a little sideways on their upward climb to knowing everthing - taking a little pleasant detour through my approach. This approach being born mostly of a sort of cluelessness to how thing are "supposed" to be done and figuring out some way myself to make something work with what I had on hand. An approach which I am hoping to refine with each minute at the work table.

This is the ways things are. We all want to figure out how to make something work and what it will look like when we are done. We hope it will speak of what we want to say, and, even better, be fun to create in the mean time. We look left and see our fellow climbers and learn from them. We look right and are able to teach other fellow climbers. Status looses ground here where we are all traversing the valley's and hills of creative pursuit when a love for learning takes the lead."

Thank you Stephanie!

You can visit Stephanie at her blog Semiprecious Salvage.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is one wonderful piece of writing by Stephanie. There are so many artists and bloggers and art makers that provide us with their own unique personal depiction of the creative process. I found this particular one to be most fascinating. So much wondrous creations all around us. It's happy making!
Orly

ArtPropelled said...

It was great to read this post. I have the book which I loved reading (even though I am not a jewellery maker as such).

MrCachet said...

This is one great word picture of the creative process! Although I'm left-handed, so I look right to those who are sharing the climb, and left to see those who might gain a little something from me.

Thank you Stephanie!

Mostly Turquoise said...

The way Stephanie describes the creative journey we all make and how she feels at the end of her lessons, now that makes her a great teachter! Refreshing thoughts, it might make me buy the book!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I detoured to Stephanie's blog because I was drawn by her writing skills and curious to see if she writes that way on her blog. I am going to look for this book. I'm not a jewelry maker, but I AM a found object artist. I see so many possibilities. Thanks for getting her words to your blog.

BadPenny said...

I like her honesty. Thank you for your comment - I really struggle with what I try to acheive& never think it is any good so a lovely comment makes it all worthwhile.

Ro Bruhn said...

This is another great book I agree, it's one of my favourites too.

Lisa said...

a great post...I am taking Stephanie's online metalsmithing course and the book has proved to be a handy reference guide as well.

jill Zaheer said...

What a great post today on Stephanie's Semiprecious Salvage: Creating Found Art Jewelry! Just loved her contribution to your post through her reflections of writing her book and what went into the making of it. Just looked at the book in Amazon and her blog from your link. Thanks so much for sharing Stephanie's talents with us!

Parabolic Muse said...

Seth, I LOVE what we find out here.

I can't wait to save up for L.K. Ludwig's new book Creative Wildfire, and see her interview with you.

Please sign my copy before it leaves the warehouse?
Thank you!

Patti Edmon Artist said...

I have to tell you, I just published a post about a fabulous jewelry artist who, upon my confession of being a soldering weenie, recommended just this book! I've already ordered it:) Oh, I put a link to your page so others can read her passage - too cool!

debi lynn mattingly said...

Hey Yayo!
The new site should be up some time today....per Alicia! I will post it as soon as she has it ready to go "live".

We start construction on the new site for the store this week...so, will be posting its progress!

Have a beautiful and creative week! xo...deb

layers said...

the ongoing journey of the creative process has been served well here and in the featured book.

Anonymous said...

I love that book-started me on the jewellry path.

Anonymous said...

this is wonderful to hear..

and it speaks volumes about the non traditional approach.

Maybe "cavewoman" will be a style someday.
I certainly feel the need for it.

Anonymous said...

this is wonderful to hear..

and it speaks volumes about the legitimacy of non traditional approach.

Maybe "cavewoman" will be a style someday.
I certainly feel the need for it.

Jen Crossley said...

Indees an awesome Book it has really inspired my artwork