In recent days I’ve been asked a few questions that I have answered individually.  It occurred to me that the same answers in this forum might be a good thing . . . for those that think questions but choose not to ask them .  Do you do that? I do, all the time.

“Delia, what’s with all the emails lately????”

Because, I forget stuff! I get a lot of emails . . . in a day . . . a week . . . a month.  With many emails, I tell myself ‘I’ll get back to that.’ or ‘I should put that on my calendar’ and I don’t get back ‘to that’ and I don’t ‘put that on my calendar’ because I forget and I get distracted.

Want to know my biggest distraction – my CAT!  She likes to hang about the computer while I’m checking my mail and paws at my computer and walks across my keyboard often and if I push her away it invites the biting engagement . . . she wants to play.

k… not on my computer in this pic…and distracting all the same

Like many folk, I have other tasks that need to be accomplished . . . in a day . . . a week . . . a month.  I have a teenage daughter (do I really need to elaborate?), three dogs along with the cat, laundry, dishes, meals to prepare, shopping, dusting, vacuuming and the all-important bathroom clean . . . and all of this has to work within my business actions and I’ve got to take time for myself to replenish.

So I send more emails now . . . because I forget and because I know that it is likely that the people in my life forget and I don’t want you to miss out on something – I think that would be meansauce. Those that took serious exception, asked to be removed  . . . it’s all good.

“DELIA! What’s with Charm School?  Really? Seriously?  I feel like your just trying to make money off me” (and honestly that is exactly how that question came to me. )

I have poorly communicated “Charm School” and it’s intention.  My bad.  Sometimes I get so excited and rush to share and leave out key information.

I believe that art, in any form, is an expression of our feelings about life, the universe and everything. SO – hanging out with me in my shop for three hours is an opportunity to learn a little about metal clay and how to make a piece of meaning for someone you care about – yourself included.

As far as the making money part?  Well, it is what I do for a living . . . and honestly $60 is just enough to cover the clay you’ll get, and my teaching/tutoring time.  I’m not handing anyone a package of clay and saying ’okay, make a charm’.  You will get a pack of tools to use with the clay, a demo from me on how to make a charm and all the guidance you need to successfully complete the process – and a pretty box to put your charm in should it be a gift for someone else .

“What’s with the urgency and deadline on charm school Delia!? You sound like a ‘pitchman’.”  (yup, that’s a quote too)

First and foremost, if you thought I was boring, would you want to play? The energy of urgency is about getting you excited and considering possibilities.  Secondly, that money tree I had in the backyard, blew down in the ‘Great Winds of 2011’ and so did the clay tree.  I need your registration fees to buy the necessary supplies to have class.  That is also why I set registration deadlines for classes. Is that a bad thing?

Those were three questions I received most and that I felt important to address.  I’ll answer more, if ya ask.

I am an artist, a mom AND a solo-preneur. For a lot of really good reasons (I promise they are all good reasons), I make my living as an artist – cuz Zeus knows no one gets paid to be a mom – It is it’s own reward, right?.

I sell the wearable art I create and some of my photography. I teach metal clay arts and mentor those that want to create their own businesses.

“Heavens to Murgatroyd”* art is so incredibly important to our society.  I really believe that it is oh-so-easy to get caught up in the day-to-day routines and forget that the expression of ourselves is so important.

Just for a moment . . . consider a song you’ve heard recently . . . a song that really moved you . . . you felt compelled to sing along or tap your foot or cry or laugh or it reminded you of something long forgotten.  Consider that you probably wanted to find the person that sung the song and THANK them for the song . . . for the difference that song made in your life.

I’ll bet you’ve seen TV shows that created the same feeling? Photographs? A website? A book? A teacher?

When I fired my first piece of metal clay I felt so empowered and excited and in awe.

When I taught my first class, I cried at the expression on people’s faces as their pieces transformed from clay to pure silver . . . I still get choked up .

When I sold my first piece of wearable art, I teared up.  The woman that bought it told me “I don’t think I should spend this money, but this really speaks to me and needs to go home with me.” **warm-fuzzy alert**

When I sold the “Celebrate” bowl, the woman who bought it asked me to sign the book it had appeared in.  She called me a couple of days later to share about the special place she placed it and the special things she stows in it. THAT was an amazing feeling.

“Celebrate” Fine silver bowl, 2″ diameter. Appeared in PMC Annual #4, 2010

My work, if only a teeny bit, made a difference in the life of someone else.

Everything we do has an impact on someone, somewhere.  I chose to have intent that with impact . . . consciousness.

It’s like driving.  I don’t drive erratically because I understand I might crash and hurt others.

I drive my life with similar consciousness.

The deadline for “Charm School” registration is still January 31. And I am still doing a demo at Zinnia on February 9: http://wp.me/p1XDVR-I

*”Heavens to Murgatroyd”  Who, remembers Snagglepuss? . . . the sweet, silly, Pink Tiger, brought to us by Hanna-Barbera

All my best,

Delia

Make something everyday . . . even if it’s trouble! – I said that