Do you revisit your lampwork dreams periodically? Do you feel a breath of fresh air from new ideas bubbling up inside of you? Or does ‘overwhelmed & frustrated with lampworking’ describe your feelings?
For me, when I ventured into my studio after a lapse of time, I always have to clean up the tornado of mess left from fun times of charity work, teaching children art or a hurried rush of deadlines from shows. Creating art is a messy endeavor.
Just a smidgen of my glass studio mess
My glass studio mess-Don’t want to overwhelm you with all of it!
The high hopes of a quickie cleanup are always dashed when reality smacks me in the face as I viewed the chaos. If I don’t have a mission or goal I tend to retreat, defeated & overwhelmed. Learning to alway have a goal that excites me is the only way to accomplish my cleanup drudgery.
What about you?
Isn’t it time to roll up your sleeves and organize your artistic goals?
What do you want to dip your creative toes into now? Anything is possible… one tiny step at a time… even a clean studio! Set goals and focus on achieving 1 technique that will make you happy!
3 Things you must remember…
1. Your art is your voice. It is how you communicate ‘who you are’ to the world. It should be your JOY in life & what you’ve been longing to do.
2. We are punishing ourselves by expecting unrealistic perfection because we compare ourselves with others! The world teaches us to compare. How is it possible to compare if each one of us is unique & different?
3. Without goals we feel stressed, overwhelmed, & unhappy because we fear we are not preforming within the norm & doing everything great!
We question…
Why aren’t I a better glass artist by now?
Why haven’t I found what I’m are good at with glass?
Why can’t I make a perfectly round glass bead, or perfect flower bead, or get silver glass to work?
Etc., etc…
So I thought this is the perfect time to share with you my personal “beginner bead story of overwhelmed & frustrated with lampworking”.
I had been painstakingly learning & making beads for about 6 months. It was time to share my precious mother lode with the world, specifically, with a fellow bead maker friend. I cuddled & gingerly showed off my beads to her like they were a newborn baby.
After I got home from my visit, my friend called to let me know I forgot my beads but that she would take good care of them. I returned the next week to find my friend had done this to my glass beads…
My infamous “Beginner Bead Ball”
She proudly informed me that as I progressed as a glass artist, I would find myself frustrated & complaining about what I was creating. I would then be thankful cause I would have my “ball of beads” to see how very far I had come with my glass.
Though I was shocked, crushed & cried angrily for a week about my destroyed beads, looking back, I find she was right…
Now, over 20 years & thousands of beads later, I’m still struggling! And when I’m frustrated about my progress & nothing is working out, my “ball of beads” quickly puts things into perspective & a smile back on my face.
Thousands of glass stringers
And thousands of glass beads… most are rejects!
Moral of the Story?
We all have to go through the learning curve with glass. We all create poop!!
Depending on the amount of hours, days, weeks, & years you put in on the “dance with the flame” will determine the quality of your glass beads.
Don’t expect miracles or put unrealistic expectations upon yourself. You could make a “bead ball” reminder of your own. Or take a picture of mine, and remind yourself we all come from humble beginnings!
The important thing is enjoying the journey. Be “Thankful” for each small breakthrough. Celebrating each moment of your soul’s ‘creative expression of Joy’ helps you enjoy the ride!
Remember… You’re Right where you are supposed to Be! And being “Thankful” opens you up to more good coming into your life! It may sound corny but it is so true!
Below are 6 tips to ease you along your ‘overwhelmed & frustrated with lampworking’ journey:
1. Set Priorities – Decide on ONE creative PRIORITY or direction. Then focus all your energy on this Priority. (I know, I know… so many ideas… so little time!) You can have a Wish list of things that you want to do… But pick the ONE that really gets you so excite that you just can’t stop talking about it!
2. Set mini step-by-step goals to accomplish your Big Priority. (My foundation lampwork tutorials 101-103 have step-by-step actions for you to learn how to make a sculptural flower. Read my tutorials’ outline here for ideas.)
3. Re-evaluate your direction often – Is this Creative Priority getting you closer to what you really LOVE doing? It’s so easy to go fluttering all over the place chasing shiny things! Trying this & that, spinning your wheels and going nowhere is the fastest way to get frustrated, overwhelmed with lampworking & not get closer to your dream! Read about an eye opening study done by Harvard on the importance of mapping your path (goal setting).
4. Set a schedule – When do you have your highest energy & able to be most productive? Put a sign up at your door and guard that time fiercely! Remember, you are an artist and you work just like everyone else!
5. Set your hours in stone – Be honest with yourself. You know when you’re flexible with your work time that you don’t ever make it into your studio. I have set hours I work every week & a routine. And I tell people I’m working.
6. Be Realistic – Stop punishing yourself by comparing yourself with other bead makers. Spend time getting to know yourself! What makes you REALLY happy to create? Forget perfectly round beads if you love sculptural beads. You don’t’ need to make what’s trending.
You need to follow your own path with blinders on. You’ll get there quicker & happier! And take the time to smell the roses and appreciate how very special you are!
Oh, and my studio?
I revised my cleanup with a more realistic cleanup plan of a few days, possibly a week or two, instead of a few hours!
I’ll be tossing out the old stuff I’ve been holding on to too long, as I decide on my creative art priorities. Forgiving myself about my perfection hangups by letting loose of some of my failures is also part of the agenda.
Want to learn 5 steps to how to stop “comparing yourself with others” & why it’s the kiss of death to lampworking?
Here’s to Happy Torching!
– Patsy
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I dont know how old this post is but thankyou for publishing it. I have been lampworking on and off for 15 years and have experienced a massive amount of upheaval in my life in the past two years and i am rusty as a result. I needed the reminder that everyone starts at the beginning and that following my heart is ok.
Hi Madison,
It was wonderful to hear from you!
You never lose what you’ve learned…it’s like riding a bike! Maybe, a little rusty but the feeling of the flow of the glass comes back quickly!
We all experience breaks from torching but the tug is always in our soul for what we love to do! I’ve also have had upheaval in my life in the last 10 years.
Creating allows us to release stress & centers us to what’s important in life. It’s essential so never feel like it’s a waste of time! Being a creator is what humans do… it’s what makes us happy & whole! :)