The invented word, Gemesis, blends the playfulness of working with gems and jewelry with the beginning of something new and fun for me.
For over 15 years, I toyed with the desire to learn jewelry making, but never seemed to find the right class at the right time or place. Finally, I decided to teach myself. Boom! A whole new world opened.
These red earrings were my first attempt. Yes, they look like “Cherry Life Savers® Do Vegas”, but they are the genesis of mygemesis. With only a few supplies and ten left thumbs, I sat at the kitchen counter and began. After much fumbling, frustration and pieces falling apart, everything looked hopeless. Feeling defeated and ready to give up, an inner voice said, “just finish something, ANYTHING, no matter how terrible it is. If you quit now, you’ll never try again.”
You are not supposed to be perfect.
Fortified with permission to be mediocre, I finished the red earrings and discovered the pure pleasure of playfulness and being-in-the-now while I work. My brain is very happy to take a break from constant cogitating; my soul is thrilled to have some play time. My eyes relish seeing real things, not a digital screen.
This comes as no surprise because for years, when doing my regular work as a Body-Mind pain and trauma therapist, clients often resonate with this playful, exploring, OK-to-not-be-perfect freedom. Marvelous things happen when liberated from that pressure.
Unlike the digital world of duplication, my necklaces are one of a kind. Some are similar, but because I work with what’s available and what fuels my passion in a given moment, no two pieces are identical.
Once I starting creating jewelry, people began saying, “you should sell your stuff.” They especially liked the one-of-a-kind flavor. This blog is a response to that, but mostly, it’s a standing invitation to everyone who likes to play and learn new things. You are invited to hang out and share my experiences of creating and exploring the lost art of Playfulness through jewelry making.
