To try, or not to try . . .

"Nature Holds The Key To My Heart"

( Torch-fired enamel on copper )

To try or not to try, that is the question, and the answer is yes  . . .  it is possible!! (Repeating to self)

When I think back, I can't really remember a time that I wasn't creating something. As a small child in art class, to endless hours in my room with a pan of watercolors. From craft projects with my grandmother, to gardening with my mom, decorating cakes, cross stitch, etc.

I suppose creating is synonymous with who I am. I can't imagine not creating, using my hands to express the things in my heart that words just cannot. It's why I love photography . . . after all, a picture is worth a thousand words. But sometimes too much daydreaming becomes a problem for me. I find so much joy in the process of daydreaming about projects that often my ideas never make it to fruition, almost as if something will happen if they do, which ironically in itself IS the point, right?

And that brings me back to that question of to try or not to try. I am an epic failure at New Year's resolutions which is why the last couple of years I have chosen a word instead to help inspire me through the year. This year, I chose possible. It simply means, that may or can be, exist, happen, be done. I chose this word especially after an inspiring weekend a couple of weeks ago with my son at a pole vault camp (that you can read here). The whole experience reminded me of what the word possible means. It's a word that is full of anticipation because we really don't know what we are capable of unless we try.

A couple of years ago I had a friend talk me into taking a metals class. I remember the first couple of days thinking....what was I thinking! You see in a metals class, a jewelry saw is supposed to be your best friend It's where everything starts, but right off the bat it was a love hate relationship. I felt like the only dork in class as I fell behind because I could not saw a straight line to save myself. I had to continually stop and start to replace one broken blade after another, and to say the least I wasn't feeling the fun. I was also deathly afraid of the torch! But somewhere along the line after staying with it, the saw became an extension of my hand and the possibility of adding color to my pieces made me overcome my fear of that torch.  I remember how good it felt the first time I held a piece I had finished in my hand that started from an idea, even if it did take me an entire semester to finish it. It's been almost a year since my last metals class, but I've decided to sign back up for the spring semester. . . I've had an idea in my head for two years and it's time to make it possible.

I found this beautiful quote that puts into words the act of creation that I know we have all felt at one time whether it was gardening, painting, photography, music, crafting, etc.

"One of the strangest things is the act of creation. 

You are faced with a blank slate - a page, a canvas, a block of stone or wood, a silent musical instrument. 

You then look inside yourself, you pull and tug and squeeze and fish around for slippery raw shapeless things that swim like fish made of cloud vapor and fill you with living clamor. You latch onto something. And you bring it forth out of your head like Zeus giving birth to Athena. 

And as it comes out, it takes shape and tangible form. 

It drips on the canvas, and slides through your pen, it springs forth and resonates into musical strings, and slips along the edge of the sculptors tool onto the surface of the wood or marble.
You have given it cohesion, You have brought forth something ordered and beautiful out of nothing. 

You have glimpsed the divine."   ~ Vera Nazarian 

To create something means simply that we are bringing something into being, a part of ourselves, something unique that wouldn't normally just be by itself. And in producing our creations whatever they may be and sharing them with the universe I think we not only inspire others, but help them to also see "possible".

I know right now I feel full of anticipation and I'm sure I'm not alone. Share with us in the comment section here,  in our flickr group, and on instagram some of the things you are creating or the things you hope to make possible . . . inspire us!!