Regal Wings

(Written in October 2006)

There is a wondrous show taking place all around us on these late fall days, though we humans are often oblivious to being surrounded by such a magnificent stage. I have caught glimpses of the performers in many places. One flits over a stoplight at a busy intersection; another visits the bold yellow sunflowers basking in the afternoon sun of my garden. Still more drift through the busy parking lots of shopping centers, or pause to rest in trees along the sides of the highway. Some have a solo role and some act en masse. Their costumes are spectacular, self-made in an arduous process requiring weeks of preparation and patience. The silky fabric of their gowns glows in rich shades of pumpkin, gold and ebony. The sculpted sleeves are lined with tiny pearl beads that glisten like moonlight on water. These are dangerous parts to play for such fragile beings, but play them they must, for they know no other life but the great earthly stage. They will be assaulted by cold temperatures, predators, cars, and countless unknown perils, yet still they are consummate actors in this cosmic show. They will finish the production or die trying.

The players in this pageant are Monarch butterflies on their fall migration. Monarchs born in the late summer will outlive their spring counterparts by up to eight months, allowing them to make the great trek from North America to a dozen isolated and rare fir forests on the mountaintops just west of Mexico City. In this unique place, they will cluster in groups numbering in the hundreds or even thousands, and they will remain inactive until it is time to gather nectar and reproduce in the spring. These delicate faeries will never again see their birthplace. The adult Monarchs will usher in the children of the next generation only to send them northward on an ancestral road that leads to an endless cycle of death and rebirth.   

Another flash of color appears in the corner of my eye. This gentle little soul seems to float aimlessly past my car window, but I know it has a weighty purpose to its journey. To us, it may look like butterflies flitter and dance on rambling paths that have no direction. But like most arduous, life-changing expeditions, their courses are not straight; there are many twists, turns and stops along the way.  I wish I could know all of these winged thespians by name. I want to know what they see and feel as they take their place in a long line of actors in this natural drama. What is it like to undergo no less than four complete physical metamorphoses in the course of a short life, changing from egg to larva to pupa to full-fledged butterfly? How do I find my way thousands of miles to a place I have never been without a compass? Will I arrive to meet my brethren and continue the circle of life, or will I meet my end in the middle of a night with an unexpected frost, or lie broken-winged on the asphalt? Would I know and understand that I was born only to grow, transform, and die?

We humans, like all other animals and plants, also follow the butterfly way. We transform many times in our lives, both physically and emotionally. We come into this world and become part of a cycle that leads to our demise. It is strange to think that we are growing towards dying; these two processes seem opposed to one another. I wonder if the butterfly thinks about its purpose in life like we do. I wonder if the butterfly knows it is on a one-way course and feels despair. Perhaps the Monarch lives only for the journey, making the most of every stop on the path. She visits every flower to gather all the nectar she can; she flies when the temperature is right because tomorrow may bring a freeze. She accepts the seasons in life which call her to change, knowing that there is no other choice. Her only goal is to live for the purpose of living.

I watch the butterfly by my window fly off above a rooftop and out of sight. Sadness washes over me as I realize I will never see her again. She was like a flash of early morning sunshine through the trees – breathtakingly beautiful and fleeting. I wish I could know if this one would make the trip alone or would find companions on her adventure south. In my imagination, my winged friend safely arrives at her destination amidst a cloud of her relatives and friends. I thank her for visiting me and wish her well. I think she wished me the same.

© 2006 Olivia Herbert. All rights reserved. 

I said I wouldn't...

...but I will, post pictures of my ceramics experiments - at least of some of the better pieces. These were made in pottery class using low-fire clay.

Bottom of a slab-built bowl, hand-painted in majolica style with lead-free glazes. The white glaze could have been a little thicker. More coats next time!

The top of this same bowl was imprinted with a floral design by pressing eyelet fabric into the clay after the slab was made and shaped. (Evidently I have to use textiles in everything!) White glaze was then washed into the design and the piece was coated with a clear glaze.

First attempt at beads. These have one coat of "pottery patina" glaze. The grooves were made by pressing with wooden skewers after the beads were rolled into shape by hand. I am fond of the melon shape.

Same pottery patina glaze but the word "imagination" has been imprinted on the bead using stamps made for metals. I think the bead is too small for words, and the imprinting would better on a pendant.

The round pendant was a test to see how using buttons and jewelry components would work for making designs. This piece was just a "play-around" item, not a finished one.

Oh, by the way, this background is my new favorite for close-up photos. It's just a piece of scrapbook paper, but I like the subtle pattern in soft browns and golds.

I have only one more pottery class, so I must have all my items glazed and ready for final firing by the end of next Wednesday evening. I'll post pictures of the best pieces after that, which should include more beads and two more slab-built bowls, provided that they survive the kiln (crossing fingers!).

Modish Monthly Goal Meetup - July

I knew it was coming, that July deadline for the Modish Biz Tips Monthly Goal Meetup, but I was trying to hide in a corner to avoid it. Truth is, June turned out to be very unproductive and more contemplative business-wise than I had anticipated. I have no excuses for why I went into a stall and nosedive. It just happened.

To recap: As part of this Modish community effort to stay motivated in business ventures, I agreed to publicly post a list of goals each month, then follow up with a note on how well I met those goals. I started in April with this list, posted on my blog. May seemed to be more successful as I actually crossed off things that were on my May goals list. Unfortunately, June floated away high into the atmosphere like a lost helium balloon. One minute you're flying higher and higher into the clouds. Then POP! - you're stuck in a tree somewhere along the side of the road, deflated, with nothing but a string holding you on.

Oh well...there's always next month.


What I had hoped to accomplish in June:

1. Continue to think about and just be open to inspiration for my latest shop name idea.

I did think about this and will continue to do so. There is some gelling of purpose happening, but not enough to do a reveal just yet.

2. Work on new banner for my Etsy shop. Coordinate with packing materials for a complete "branded" look.

Uh, nothing done here. Nothing to see, so move along...

3. Reflect on the nature of my business and how much time and effort I want to, realistically, put into it. Do I have the energy and motivation to market it more seriously? What is my relationship with money with respect to creative activities, and how do I need to readjust my thinking to allow my business to grow naturally? Where does my heart really dwell? Where is my business heading?

I have probably spent most of the month dwelling on these questions, so I am crossing off #3 even though I have not reached any important conclusions. Well, maybe that is not entirely true. I did come to the realization that I feel the need to make some sort of unique jewelry component from scratch. I have a few ideas to try but I feel a little willy-nilly about this at the moment, running from concept to concept without settling on anything concrete.

I also have a gnawing sense of needing to give back, to do something that benefits others in need. Perhaps start a local crafting-for-a-cause group, or find an activity that allows me to make a difference with what I create. Maybe this quest needs to be put on top of the list for next month.

4. Continue my quest for the perfect background against which to photograph my jewelry.

Ok, I guess I can cross this off for now since I did pick up some new scrapbooking paper that has photographic promise. I don't think I will ever be completely satisfied with the photos, but I am taking a breather from this for now.

5a. Make more jewelry and get it listed.

Embarrassingly, I did not make anything except some jewelry for a friend's birthday. I'll have to hang my head and slink off in shame on this one; good intentions but no creative umph. My main stumbling block, besides creative inertia, is needing and not finding long blocks of time to sit and play with materials and designs. I seem to need more than an hour here and there to let the creative juices percolate.

5b. I want to focus on using what materials I already have rather than buying anything new. I also want to return to one of my original goals of recycling and repurposing old pieces of jewelry, making them into new creations.

I did give this some thought, and I learned about a new technique that I might use to assemble pieces of recycled vintage glass from a large collection I have into pendants and rings. Still need to think and experiment, however.

6. Start working on my own, stand-alone website.

Nada, zip, zilch, zero. Onto July's list it goes.


So there it is, the good, the bad, and the ugly truth for June. Now on to July... Considering that July and August are going to be interrupted a lot by vacations, summer activities with family and friends, and gardening tasks, I don't have high expectations for business advancement during the next two months. Still, I'll put a few things on the agenda for July.

July Goals:

1. Continue to think about and just be open to inspiration for my latest shop name idea. See if any further inspiration occurs or consider dropping this for now.

2. Start to make jewelry items for my September craft show, stART on the Street, which is a well-attended street fair in Worcester, MA. This may be the only show I do this year, so I'll need to make a big effort to have enough stock for this event. I know the next two months will fly by, so I shouldn't waste any time waiting to make inventory.

3. Test a few of my ideas for making unique jewelry components. Find a use for the recycled, vintage glass I have.

4. Contact a local bead shop about forming a crafters-for-charity group, or look for some other way to use my crafting to make a positive impact.

5. Think about a design for my own website. I know I won't get the site created this month, but I might have some time to play around with background colors and graphics to begin the design process.

I think these are doable. We'll see how it goes. Happy creating and best wishes for a productive July to all the Modish Meetup followers!