Rejuvenate Your Starter Pieces
by Jennifer Brooks
We all start somewhere, right? Rarely is someone absolutely perfect at something the very first time they try
it. That is not to say it doesn't happen. However, when a person is honing their skills, their first drafts and early
pieces are likely to be a little bit lower in quality than if they've got several years or an educational course under
their belts.
Instructions
Just the other day, a painter friend of mine told me something about his process that I have also done along my crafting journey: be willing to let go. He wasn't
suggesting he throws things away, but expressing that an artist should be willing to start over. My friend also told me that he frequently pushes levels back from his paintings or just completely paints over them if they aren't working or if he isn't happy with the direction the piece is taking.
A great example for me is this early Tree of Life wrap that I did when I was about two years into my wire wrapping journey. If I'm being honest, it isn't terrible. However, it was less stable than my present standards require for longevity and it was unfortunately in my inventory for a very long time before I realized that I should give it a make over.
I didn't want to take it all apart or scrap it, necessarily; it just needed a little bit more... oomph. With this piece, I kept the original tree and (flimsy) frame. I
added another, sturdier frame, some coiled coils, an accent piece that I wove onto the front, and a shiny faceted peridot to catch the eye. To bring it all home, I
finished the updated piece with a clean, wide bail. I'm happy to say that this starter piece evolved nicely into something that speaks more toward my present skills and is no longer in my inventory (it sold!).
Jennifer Brooks's Rejuvenate Your Starter Pieces - , General Education, , rejuvenate your old pieces
Jennifer Brooks's Rejuvenate Your Starter Pieces - , General Education, , rejuvenate your old pieces
If you have a couple older pieces lingering in your stash, bring them back to the table and see if you can give them a little extra polish. Use your breadth of skill to add more of your present flair to these items and see if the new look helps them find new homes. Ultimately, if the effort doesn't pan out, you can start over knowing that you gave it your best efforts.
Happy crafting!

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WireJewelry - Ultimate Wire-Pliers Jewelry Pliers with Case, Set of 5
G15-20
  • G15-20
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $170.72
  • Gold Club Price: $128.04
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  • Category: General Education
  • Technique(s): General Education