Inner Peace - Outward Passion Lessons Learned

As a young idealistic bank officer and wannabe artist, I was resolved to live my life with Inner Peace and Outward Passion.  At the time, these words summarized the transition that I was trying to make.

I was passionate about art and creating, and I knew that my days in the financial service industry were numbered.  I also knew stress...the stress of being a workaholic...the stress of family health issues...financial stress...and the stress of loss.  I realized that it was all part of life, and I was resolved that I'd find a way to navigate these waters with a sense of inner peace at my foundation.  It only seemed logical to me that my first formal metalsmithing class as an adult would pay tribute to my mission..

My friend Barbara, a fellow banker, and I enrolled in a ring making class in Pittsburgh.  It was taught by the talented Jan Loney, and skills like measuring, cutting, texturing, stamping, sizing, soldering, and finishing were all included.  With all of this in mind, I decided that my ring would feature the word "Peace" on the inside and "Passion" on the outside.  (Clever and symbolic, right?!?!)

The sentiment that consistently
finds its way to the top of my
finger each time I wear this ring.  

Jan was an excellent teacher, and the skills that I learned ignited my imagination with possibilities.  After practicing stamping on aluminum, I tried my hand at sterling silver, and things went swimmingly!  Cutting, sizing, soldering, and finishing were equally successful, and I was in love with my new creation.

I wore this ring to work every day!  It became a touchstone to remind me that  my dreams were within reach.  It also became a lesson in the importance of thoughtful design in the creation of jewelry.  It still brings a smile to my face today.

Mistakes happen.  I've learned to embrace them, learn from them, and laugh at them.  I've also come to realize the value of sharing my foibles with others.

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Care to share your own creative mishaps?  We're all in this together, and I'd love to hear about them!  Please leave them in the comments below this post.