I’ve been feeling reflective this weekend. Maybe it’s the cool weather that has me thinking about the battle we’ve waged at the studio over the last year. During that time we have worked hard to eliminate the waste in our production and office systems. It’s not just the transformation, but the experimentation required that have me grateful to be on this side of all that change.
We still have a few kinks to work out, but things are settling down and a routine is beginning to develop. There is a wonderful flow to the rattles and ornaments now, and the best thing about that is that John has gotten back to creating the one of a kind of work that makes him happiest, the kind that feeds his soul.
This weekend John is going to New Mexico for his first retail art show in quite some time. Not that we couldn’t use it, but he’s not doing it for the money. No, he’s looking forward to connecting with people who don’t have an expensive wholesale buying trip and the success of an upcoming holiday season weighing heavily on their minds.
Back in the day when John had a gallery in his studio, he’d sometimes send me out at shows to order jewelry from the other artists. Making so many buying decisions would make me want to cry! It was a tremendous amount of stress, and an experience that gave me even more respect our retailers.
Many of the people John will see this weekend probably won’t be there to buy at all, but will be there only to enjoy the beauty of American craft. And John is looking forward to visiting with them about the beauty of making American craft. That makes me happy.
Flow feeds both our souls.
