Inspiration

Inspire: a verb, meaning 'to breathe,' or according to most sources, in the archaic form, 'to breathe life into.' That's what we have going on in Northwestern Wisconsin right now with the almost indescribable green of the new buds on shrubs, shoots bursting from from the recently frozen ground and the swell of people that have left their cold weather cocoons and once again walk the sidewalks and parks of the area.

Somehow I never put the literal meaning of the word (taking in breath) to the more artistic meaning, to get inspiration for new work. It's perfect, though, as these things mostly are, whether or not I've thought about them. Sometimes I eventually get around to appreciating the nuances of meaning in our language as they apply to me.

I harvested a few more pieces from the kiln yesterday: some small charms, a flower pendant that will have a post-firing cz placed into it, some hollow hearts made over cork form (a technique learned from Sherri Haab's book on metal clay - I'll add the title in her later when I look at it) and some scallop shell pendants using a mold made from the actual shell. Will be working these into shape, and posting soon!