Creative Secrets is a series of posts that will appear here over the next several weeks. Susan Murphy is interviewing artists from all walks of life in an effort to delve more deeply into how the creative process works.
Part I of the series features jewelry artist Sheri Braunstein. Sheri has been making jewelry for several years, and her passion for her craft led her to begin her company, Wyvern’s Whims. She is a designer and a teacher who is living her creative life to the fullest.
1) Tell me how you first got involved in your jewelry making art.
I’ve always been a crafter, one of the earliest gifts from my Mom that I can remember is a box filled with beads, feathers, sequins, glue, and other things – and no instructions!! That kept me amused for months, and was probably the start of my love affair with creating jewelry.
The reason I became involved with wire sculptured jewelry is also in part the name of my business – it was purely on a Whim. I was working on a contract as an account rep for an online marketing business, and one of our clients was this company in the US that was promoting their wire sculptured jewelry DVD’s. I thought it looked like fun, ordered the beginner series and was completely hooked, and that was the start of Wyvern’s Whims.
2) What is it about your craft that keeps you interested and motivated?
I love the way the stones (and pearls, and cameos) speak to me. Like people, they all have their histories, their lore, and their own personality. I’ve learned so much, not just about the stones themselves, but the countries they’ve come from, the different cultures who used them, and the different properties (metaphysical and physical) they are said to have. People often ask me where I get my ideas, and the most honest answer I’ve come up with is that my fingers are what the stone uses to speak with. The next time you’re at a craft or gem and mineral show, pick up a stone, and really look at it – like us, they are all so unique and beautiful in their own way.
3) Do you ever have a time when you are uninspired to create? If so, how do you overcome this?
I think every creator has a time when inspiration won’t come, and the muse deserts them. A writer’s characters won’t behave the way they should, a sculptor’s clay feels lifeless, and for me, the stones aren’t speaking. The flip side of this is those periods when the ideas and inspirations tumble in your head so fast you can barely keep up. I always carry around a small sketchpad and pen – everything goes into this book, whethers it’s a rough sketch or just scribbled thoughts. When I’m uninspired, the book comes out, and something will always grab me. Other times, and this is advice I give my students, I just walk away. Leaving a project on the shelf to rest for a few days lets you come to it with new eyes and new inspiration.
4) At what point did you decide that you wanted to turn your creative pursuits into a business? What made you take the leap?
When I started wire sculpture, it was just another hobby for me, something to have fun with. I was totally astounded the first time a woman stopped me in the grocery store to ask where I’d gotten a pendant I was wearing, and flabbergasted that she offered me money for it!!! Then I met another jewelry maker who does the most intricate bead work. She is now a good friend of mine, and she is the one who introduced me to the guild she belonged to, and the idea that I could actually sell my work. Then I was invited to become an instructor of design, and I loved the whole idea of sharing my knowledge, and I suppose that’s when I realized this could be a business as well as a creative outlet.
5) What has been your biggest challenge as an artist?
The biggest challenge I think an artist has, and certainly my biggest challenge is keeping it fresh. It’s so easy to stay in your comfort zone and just do what you are good at. I think this is where stagnation sets in, and you don’t grow as a creator. Taking the time to say ”I wonder what would happen if……….” or, ” I wonder if I can do this with that…” is not always comfortable, but it’s necessary to grow as an artisan. I love to test out new techniques because of this – I don’t fall in love with all of them, but it’s sure a lot of fun.
6) Do you find value in connecting with other artists, and if so, what are some of the ways you stay connected to your community?
Connecting with other artists is like getting a draft of pure oxygen for me – there are several people who feed my mind and soul on a constant basis, we share ideas, thoughts, problems, solutions, and so much more. I don’t mean that we copy each other’s ideas, we are all very different. But sometimes just having the chance to share your thoughts spurs you on to the next level, or next inspiration. My artist friends are made up of photographers, painters, purse makers, jewelry designers, writers and more. I have several students who have challenged me as well, and I belong to two wonderful Ottawa area guilds which meet once a month. All of these people are a great source of support in many ways.
7) What’s your next creative step?
Besides creating jewelry, I have always had a passion for my community – it seems there are so many outstretched hand, and resources are stretched so thin. I’m developing a new line that is geared towards addressing this need for funds, and hope to have it available in the Fall, as initial feedback on it has been positive. I’m also stretching myself a bit, experimenting with a new medium (polymer clay) and want to build another side to my business that will appeal to both sexes.
Related posts:
- Creative Secrets Part II: Tracey “Halyma” Vibert
- Imitate and find your authentic voice
- The Creative Value of Editing
- Two Steps to More Creative Presentations