Building a Body of Work

Whatever is happening in your life, you are going to express it through your work, and that’s a fact.

So, that being said, you can kind of see where you could possibly begin when you want to build a new body of work. It’s about going out into the world and bringing in a new experience, whether large or small. And remember, I always say that it is about the little things. When you focus on the little things, it is easier to digest and walk one step at a time.

A little walk to the beach, woods, or park is so effective for gathering new ideas.
I plan to be in India soon, and I know from past experience that a brand new body of work can come from such a big experience, but that takes a little time to digest, bring in, incorporate, and then produce new work.

Creating a new body of work is all about the inhales and exhales.

Which state are you in currently?

The inhales are when you are out in life, absorbing, taking in experiences—maybe travel, researching new ideas, or learning by taking a class.

The exhales are all about a little profound time to yourself, working out new ideas, being in your studio, taking walks, and just plain chilling. The exhales look like we are up to nothing, but as artists, jewelers, and creators, this is an important time.

I am taking some time to exhale and spend time in my studio this summer to explore new ideas in building jewelry, doing my yoga every day, and exploring the concept once again of Talisman jewelry. I love this subject, and it is at the base of all of my work.

Years ago, when I was in my 20s, I traveled the world and studied Talisman objects, art, and symbolic handmade adornment, quite by accident. I didn’t mean to, but I was looking for something to bring passion into my life. Many of you have heard my story, and I will tell it another time.

Currently, though, I am paying attention to the shapes that I am building. I am really using energies to charge and embed love into my work because it seems to be important to me now. I am remembering that CREATIVITY HEALS, right?
Don’t we love it when we are in flow in our studios and in the creative flow?
As I am in the creative flow, building my new line of jewelry, I decided to film myself in my studio once a week, working out a new body of work.

I write about and talk about building a new body of work, but here on my YouTube channel—CREATIVITY COLLECTIVE FOR VISIONARIES—I go through all of the little details to show you. I found a fresh new approach! Yay!

I STARTED ALSO SHOWING UP LIVE ON WEDNESDAY AT 12 NOON, Eastern, since I am in my space of an exhale.

If you are in your studio this summer, please join me. It’s fun, inspiring, and informational (and free) lol.

On my live, I go through all of the steps that you can take to create a new, fresh line of work. It’s what I do as I am coming up with mine.

Here’s a link to my live session from last week: https://www.youtube.com/live/5luNphlQUu0?si=IjalG9REcKixQ6VX

On another topic, when we have these beautiful long hours inventing in the studio, life can be a little lonely, right?

We have been working hard to come up with a good idea for community, and we think we found an amazing solution where we, as artists, can work together in our personal studios (separately) and spend some time seeing each other remotely, being together.

Let me know if you want to feel more connected—we are finishing the details, and I will announce it very soon. I’ll keep you posted.

Remember that creativity heals, and community heals.

Let’s heal and be together.

Xxxx Susan