02.08.16 Thunder and Lightning

When I first saw this stone I had two thoughts...first, that I HAD TO have it; and second that it made me think of a Texas thunderstorm.  The shape is a perfect raindrop, and the color really is like the dark gray of a storm with flashes of lightning.

With that in mind, this piece sort of named itself - I called it - "Thunder and Lightning".  I was anxious to get into the studio with the stone and get started...

The benefit of going to open studio one or twice a week - every week - is that doing things over and over makes you better.  Sawing is one of those things.  I don't know anyone who likes to do it - but I am finding it to be one of the most valuable skills in my repertoire...now if only I could break fewer sawblades...

My best sawing effort to date - I was especially pleased with how my lightning bolt and bezel turned out, and at this point I was planning to list this pendant in my Etsy store, then a couple of things happened...we lost David Bowie and Alan Rickman...and somehow I just couldn't let go of this one.

As I continued to work on the pendant (it took three open studio sessions to complete) I thought a lot about both of these great British artists, and the impact they had on the lives of my generation, on that of my children.

Photo credit: Brian Duffy

Not only did David Bowie create amazing art - he made it safe, even cool, to be different.  His personas were gender fluid and ever changing; in his personal life he married a woman of color and was a devoted husband, father and mentor.

Alan Rickman, in his role as Severus Snape, brought the dark heart of the Harry Potter books to life on the screen.  I remember driving carpools full of middle school girls around as they sang "Snape, Snape, Severus Snape...Dumbledoor!" until I thought my ears would fall off.  Rickman gave Snape humanity - and taught us all that you can't judge a book, or a wizard, by it's outward appearance.

Photo credit: Harry Potter Wiki

I guess I could have put the pendant up for sale (so far there's only one piece in my Etsy store), and made my thoughts part of the story I told in the listing - but instead - I'm keeping it as a reminder that not only is there beauty in the things we see when they are finished...but there is value in the process, in being different...and in weathering the storm.













Until next time.