a journey indeed

My love affair for the wonderful world of art started in high school. In year 10, I made a wearable art necklace out of corn kernels (and made popcorn out of the rest of the unused kernels), with wires bursting out of the collar because I wanted it to have a spiderweb effect. In year 11, I did a lot of pen drawings based on Maori tribal patterns. In year 12, I experimented with painting, etching, product design, but my interest for sculpture was greater than the rest. I made a giant toothpaste complete with giant pink paste coming out of the tube. I also studied Art History, from Giotto to Michelangelo (my fave guy!), Warhol to Pollock (another fave of mine). In year 13, I decided to settle for a year full of sculpture.

I want to tell you that my sculpture year was a happy one. How I wish it was a happy one. I thought I was pure genius (being a teenager and all) and could do just about everything right. My first project was a success, it involved a can and strings covered with super thick paste and kind of resembles a tree trunk and its roots. Then it went downhill. I thought I knew what my teacher wanted, but boy was I wrong. I couldn't seem to do ANYTHING right, while my fellow sculptors were getting praises left and right. I couldn't make the materials work but I insisted on using them. My sculpture year did not end happily. I didn't get good grades like I wanted (I passed though...) and I remember thinking to myself that I have no talent or flair in art, that I was fooling myself.

Fast forward a couple of years of uni and a couple more years of professional life, I decided it was time for me to get back in the art game. I love jewellery and accessories of any sort, and has been dying to learn the art of jewellery making. And the timing couldn't be more perfect. I have planned on resigning from my then-current job and was going back to uni for postgrad. I had a couple of months of mucking around back home that I could put to good use. So I put it to good use (and here I am now telling you all about it).


I guess what I wanted to say is that we have to listen to our heart's desires and believe in ourselves. If something doesn't work for you (like those stubborn materials wouldn't work for me), we should either find another way to work around it or forget about it completely (because unfortunately, sometimes things are just not meant to be). I've had these filigree stampings for awhile now and has been toying with it endless times, trying to figure out what I can do and how I can make these delicate stampings work for me. I tried incorporating it with pieces for a necklace and a bracelet and I just couldn't see it work. Then I thought of earrings. These are so delicate and light it would be perfect for a pair of earrings. And I'm happy to say that this particular journey has ended happily for me (and for these filigrees!). Everything just seems to fall together and fit perfectly; the materials cooperated happily and the colours works together to form a pair of exquisite and delicate earrings.


Have a superb midweek (and a great start to a weekend for me)!