five years from now

Today the Handmade Division is talking about where we would like to be in five years.

That's a tough question because I don't set goals according to a timeline, I don't think on those terms. (Which tells you I have no business plan.) I will always make art, I love making wearable jewelry, and I love making art with kids. I like that teaching gets me out of my studio and my head so I will probably always do both. Unless I do something else. I have a hard time sticking with one vocation for very long, eight years is the record. The two constants are art and kids.

As far as my metalsmithing skills, I want to steadily improve those over the next five years. I want to learn raising, chasing and repousee, advanced stone setting, hand engraving, and welding iron and steel. I want to equip my studio with tools like a large shear, a rolling mill, hammers and stakes, a GRS engraving gizmo, a hammer handpiece for my flex shaft, as well as a bench and hand tools for pewter work.

I will continue to work with kids in the community through schools, museums, etc. I want to start writing more grants and maybe thinking about some long term projects. One of my dreams is to eventually start a community-based arts organization that serves all ages and abilities and is free to the public. Five years is probably too soon for that, but you never know, it's out there. Whatever I'm doing in five years, I hope to be healthy and happy.

Please visit these other members to read their hopes for the future:

Andes Cruz
Tosca Teran
Beth Cyr
Tess Norberg
Rebekah Timlin Meddles
Jewelry by Natsuko
Bella-Bijou Jewellery
JJ Papke