Do you have a mission in life? A guiding principal that helps you focus and leads your creative efforts?
I have a mission, it’s to inspire those around me.
Sometimes it’s doing something big like starting the Art Bead Scene blog and inspiring jewelry designers and beadmakers to connect. Other times, it’s writing a book that shares my inspirations and helps jewelry makers to find their inspirations. It may be offering unique beads to inspire a new jewelry project or a tutorial shared online. I love sharing trends, color palettes and business tips to help others along their journey as a designer.
But what I love the most out of everything I do, is directlly inspiring students in a classroom! Nothing is quite as satisfying as seeing students discover and explore the creative possibilities with your projects. My favorite event that I host, the one where I feel like I’m most accomplishing my mission in life, is at my annual Inspired by Nature Retreat.
This year will be my third event. In both years past there have been moments where we are enjoying the retreat together and I think to myself, is this my life? This is like a dream! How am I so lucky to be with such creative women, sharing my favorite inspirations and in the place I love most in the world? Those are amazing days. I wish I could do a retreat every month! Maybe someday I will travel around sharing my inspirations across the country and the world. For now, it’s a once a year shindig and you are invited to join me.
It’s a small event, this year only 15 students can be accommodated and spaces are filling up. If a weekend in the woods surround by the beauty of autumn, a river and a resort lodge sound inviting and playing with metal, wire and clay creating those projects shown above sounds like a little slice of heaven to you – head on over to the website and read the details. Come October, I may be inspiring you and being inspired by you!