Uncharted Territory
Mountainesque Series
Photo Credit ~ Daniel Krucoff

With this piece, I’m debuting one of my new series for 2011, Mountainesque.  Why Mountainesque?  I hope to explain some of that here in this post.  I love mountains.  They are picturesque and for the name of this series, I blended the words Mountains and Picturesque.

In one of my last posts of 2010, I indicated that this year my Quest is to embrace the challenge of self-discovery and personal growth.  Lexi is joining me in that Quest and I believe we are helping each other on this path to discovery.  My personal word for this year is to be Fully Engaged and I believe this new series is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to being fully engaged in creating my Art Jewelry.

During the week between Christmas and New Years, I felt as though I was in a ‘waiting state’.  I was reading books, listening to music, watching movies and just trying to relax my mind and actually tap into that creative channel.  Lexi and I had a day where we just discussed the things we cherished, making art, our own directions. I knew the groundwork was being laid, but I just didn’t know where or when the spark was going to occur for me.  And then it happened and it all made sense.  It had been right in front of me and I just didn’t see it until a scene in a movie clicked with me.

I was half watching the movie Wolverine while I was doing things in the studio.  There’s a scene where snow covered mountains are part of the backdrop.  Those mountains reminded me of the Tetons.  I’m surrounded by photographs Dan has taken of them during our vacations.


The Grand Tetons At Snake River

I love the Tetons. I love mountains! Growing up in Illinois, surrounded by corn fields….well, mountains were/are my sirens.  As a footnote, I will add that I have come to appreciate the beauty associated with corn fields, but for me they fall short of the rugged majesty of mountain ranges. Why couldn’t I do something that reflected how I felt about mountains? I have never been more at peace than when I’m taking in the beauty of the Tetons.


I had been drinking in the view of the Tetons while Dan was photographing them, then I felt I was being watched (you know that sensation, don’t you?) and as I turned to look, Dan took this picture of me.

As I looked through my stones, it was as if I really saw what was going on in the Sonoran Sunrises (Cuprite / Chrysocolla). I saw beautiful, rugged mountain scenes! Yes, put together a series with Sonorans and silver mountain shapes. The mountain shapes can be on the side, at the bottom, the top, it really doesn’t matter, just include the graceful shape of a mountain outline.  Yes, that’s it!

I turned on music, our Zen channel. I drew one design after another. No shaky lines, it’s as if my hand was being guided. I’d pick up a stone, look at it and draw the shape. It felt amazing. I knew I had tapped into the channel. I just kept going. Generally, I would have the design in the first or second sketch.  Everything just fell into place.

Uncharted Territory was one of the first ones I drew. For me, this truly was uncharted territory. It felt real, genuine, right. I didn’t question or hesitate, I just kept going. And I’m still going with new pieces waiting for me to get to the bench to work on them. Right now I have 5 completed and there are designs for another 10 or more. I’ve even started to incorporate red jaspers in this line.

This is something I’ve never fully experienced until now. It’s amazing and I’m certain many of you have experienced this and for those of you who haven’t, my advice is to keep trying, keep working, and just wait until you tap into that creative channel, because it is real and it will happen.

There you have it.  My love of mountains, surrounded by Dan’s photographs of them, living near them and seeing them everyday….it was right there, in front of me all that time and I finally saw it….just by that 3 second clip from a movie I was barely paying much attention to….I always have something running in the background as I work in the studio.

You never know where your next idea will come from or how, but I truly believe the most important thing is that you are open to receive it when it comes.

I’ll leave you with one more from this new series, which I call Safe Passage.


Safe Passage
Mountainesque Series
Photo credit ~ Daniel Krucoff

As this line continues to grow and develop, I will post photos and details.

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.

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