[Jewelry making - Article 00504] - [Orchid] Getting unstuck

[cborger]

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Dear Orchidians,

    I'm a new artist trying to 'start over' at 44.  I wrote once before
    in July 

    ('I miss this work'
    http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive/200407/msg00473.htm) 

    and received helpful feedback.  I'm hoping you won't mind lending
    some guidance again. 

    In my last email I talked about wanting to make a career change from
    my tech job back to self employment but I was feeling uneasy about
    taking the plunge and leaving a 'secure' job.  Ha!  Well it was
    taken out of my hands, so to speak, and I was laid off last October.
     (watch out for what 'ya pray for - you just might get it!) 

    So now I'm giving it my best shot.  I took the severance pay and
    trained at Revere Academy for several weeks, set up a workshop at
    home, and wrote a business plan.  On a tight budget - I don't have
    to see income from jewelry sales until August. My plan is to make
    jewelry and build up an inventory, and then start selling retail
    this summer/fall through some combination of a website and art/craft
    shows in the SF bay area.  I like working with stones and I have
    some good ones I had stashed away from the 1980's when I used to run
    a small jewelry business with someone.  

    So I should be making jewelry day and night, burning the candle at
    both ends.  But I can't seem to find a groove.  I keep starting and
    stopping.  Its a tad embarrassing to admit - but I know if I don't
    speak up, my fears will start growing roots. 

    What's happening is I start with a stone I want to work with and
    either I can't find a design I'm excited about; or I come up with a
    design but it turns out to be harder than I thought and I get stuck.
     After struggling with it for awhile I get frustrated and put it
    aside and work on something else.  I have a growing pile of
    incomplete designs.  When I was in this business before I had a
    skilled partner who worked nearby so I could get help whenever I ran
    into trouble but now its just me.  I didn't expect this to be easy -
    but I'm not sure how to get moving and keep moving. I feel very
    fortunate to have this opportunity and I don't want to blow it. 

    I also wonder if I should take some of the practice exercises I
    learned at school and do them during some part of each day.  Do you
    think its better to practice new skills in practice projects, or
    just apply new skills in actual production?  I guess I'm feeling
    under pressure to make all of my time at the bench be production. 

    So I would sure appreciate any suggestions you have on how you start
    moving and stay moving.  Also, I would sure appreciate having a
    someone or two that I could turn to with fabrication questions.  I'm
    not sure if I can use the list for that or not.  I mean - I don't
    want to misuse it. 

    Thanks a lot for participating on this list.  I use the archives to
    augment my training on everything from soldering tips to business
    questions to shop safety.  I sure do appreciate it. 

Peace,
Catherine Borger

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