New Work - warning Sam's getting deep

I have been working on a new series of beads

They are simple in their composition but complex in their message.

Through cold work and manipulation of the surface of these beads I am working on a series of pieces exploring stratification and erosion and how it relates to the human experience. This concept occurred to me in a particularly uncomfortable moment at my annual conference. I had been worn down by lack of sleep, interactions with people who confuse the heck out of me and demands to be in more places than one person can possibly be. This exposed the bare a sensitive core of emotion. Like a day of having sandpaper rubbed against your skin exposes that raw tender layer of nerves with no protective barrier. In that state even the gentlest of touch would cause you to recoil in pain. Exploring these thoughts of erosion made me think of those magnificent smooth rocks that stand in the Guadalupe river worn ever smoother with the waters relentless flow. Despite centuries of water flowing there they are still standing yet changed. The edges worn away but the wisdom left unscathed.

I was thinking how complex we are and how every event in ours lives is like a layer of sediment laid down making us who we are. How those layers are affected by life's challenges. Are we left tender and raw or worn smooth yet lovely?

What is perfection? We all seem to strive for perfection but could it be that our flaws are where our beauty lies? Isn't it true when studying the face of a loved one the features they may see as a flaw are the very things we love ? 

When you create something that you are happy with it should be enough.  I hope to achieve that level of confidence in my work. I am getting there. I still want you to like them. My break through is I am confident enough to say "to me it is more than just a bead."

There will be many more beads as I explore this series. Now if I can just "carve out" the time.

Thank you to Nicole Lozano for her cold working expertise.

Actual Size