What’s Your Jewelry Making Motto? 4 Jewelry Instructors Share Theirs
What makes you get out your bead mat or move to your jewelry bench—and stay there a while? A well-chosen phrase such as “embrace imperfection” can provide motivation and clarity, reminding you to persevere and have fun with your creativity. Here are jewelry making mottos and tips from four Maker Festivals Mesa/Phoenix instructors to help you get—and stay—inspired.
“Keep an Open Mind”
Look around your house and studio with fresh eyes, using common household items as armatures for beaded sculptures, and considering craft items not normally associated with beadwork to build your vision. —Sue Neel, arcabeadies.com
“Be Passionate”
PMC is a material that I love and have never lost passion for. There are so many endless possibilities! It’s cheesy but I STILL get jitters and butterflies every time I open the kiln! I believe my excitement and love for metal clay shows though in all my classes and creations. —Stephanie Chavez, stephaniechavez.com
“Be Grateful”
Each day in my studio, I smile and feel lucky that I have such a fun job. The processes involved in my jewelry can be divided into metal fabrication, enameling, and glass bead making. All are very different, which I am thankful for. Bouncing around from technique to technique keeps me on my toes and adds variety to my day. —Chelsea Stone, eyecandyjewelry.com
“Be True to You”
It sounds like a cliché, but I have had to step back and really tell myself this time and time again. I like to try new products and ideas—and so much of my jewelry is not the norm—but I keep plugging along. –Kim Leahy, estherbeadwork.com
Make Your Own Motto
Learning a new technique or honing one of your favorites is a sure-fire way to get inspired. Take it from these instructors that a jewelry making motto will help you stay inspired. Mottos also promote consistency, helping maintain your signature style. Once you identify some of the key aspects of your own inspiration, you can craft a motto (or a few mottos!) that work well for you.
10 More Mottos for Creativity
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“Mistakes are Opportunities for Innovation”
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“Experiment and Evolve”
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“Inspiration is Everywhere”
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“Trust the Process”
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“Color Outside the Lines”
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“Create from the Heart”
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“Work with What You Have”
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“Silence the Inner Critic”
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“Endless Possibilities”
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“My Creativity is a Gift”
Crafting beautiful jewelry pieces is something that requires practice, patience, and most of all, inspiration. The advice from the four Maker Festivals Mesa/Phoenix instructors— as well as the additional mottos presented in this post—provide valuable guidance towards developing creative mantras and ideas for improving and rejuvenating your practice.
What’s your jewelry making motto? Share in the comments!
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