The "elemental nexus" in my mind.

Brooch/Pendant working title: "Tick Tectonics"

One month and three days until the opening of the exhibit, Elemental Nexus, May 10th which will feature my work, along with the work of three other artists, at the Craft Council Gallery.  Tick-tock, tick-tock!  I trust you will understand if this is a short post.  I am channeling my excited energy into creating, creating, creating!

I've learned a lot about the rewards and pitfalls of pacing my production as I've prepared this body of work.  This article I read recently, enforced a hunch I've known, but have never fully understood regarding that "high" one feels when one's day has been particularly fruitful.  I know I feel my mood lift when I've had a productive day, even if it's been a non-stop-busy day.  While obviously it feels good to have something done, as opposed to nothing done at the end of the day, I've struggled to understand how, in contrast, a day spent in utter relaxation often leaves me feeling hollow, or unfulfilled.  And yet, as I suspect is the case with many folks, the inertia of stillness can be hard to shake sometimes.  I encourage you to take the time to read it, it is enlightening.

The second penny dropped regarding the satisfaction of production as I've been learning a tiny bit more about meditation and yoga.  Understanding the link between focusing on the rhythm of one's breath, and getting more from daily life has become clearer.  My sister helped me see this connection, along with my own exploration as I re-acquaint myself with yoga.  The key it seems to me, is not so much in taking the time to fit meditation into one's day, and thus finding that sense of calm spilling into the rest of one's life, as it is about adapting the increased ability to focus that is gained through meditation and applying that to the activities of daily life.  My sister and her husband have two young children, and are freelance musicians in Toronto.  Making the most of their time is of the essence.  She recently expressed to me how much more efficient she has become when a nugget of time for practicing arises, and how her focus and efficiency in those spare moments has increased.  I have found in preparing my work for this exhibition a greater sense of productivity and drive than I've previously had.  I didn't connect it to my yoga practice though, until chatting with my sister about her meditation practice and her increased efficiency in seizing the spare moments.  It really is a training of the brain that one is then able to apply to different scenarios without as much mental strain to remain focused on the task at hand.  The spin-off benefit is that things get accomplished, and that is immensely rewarding!

Now, I must redirect my attention back to my jewellery bench as I tackle the last few items that will be in the exhibition.  Today I picked up 7 shiny new custom plexi-glass cubes that will sit over my work in the gallery.  I am overly excited about them.  I think they are making the inevitability that this exhibition will actually happen more real to me!