Friday 11 June 2010

Too Many Projects

Hands up, who suffers from wanting-to-do-it-all-nitis?  I have a goal to be an expert at a huge list of things (yes, expert - any old experience just won't do).  On my list:
  • Silver etching projects - tried it and got a large quantity of iron nitrate some weeks ago for a lot of pieces, except it's sitting on a shelf, keeping company to the other chemicals
  • Laser-cut projects based on my own drawings - [note to self:  'prioritise']  
  • Keum boo - some weeks ago I mentioned I ran to the gold shop to buy gold sheet, right?  I did run, and I evidently have more ideas than time
  • Resin - bought all the kit, tried it and put it all back on the shelf for later
  • Engraving - ditto bis
  • Making my own stone settings - ditto ter (though I do set my own stones)
  • Making hinges, boxes, rivets, clasps, vessels, utensils - I so want to make a spoon, I really do!
  • Other metal clays - I want to know all the ins and outs of all the other clays, there's copper, bronze, steel... and before I get to grips with them fully, someone goes and brings out a glass clay.
  • 3-d CAD programmes such as Rhino - the fun I would have...
  • Wax carving, and lost wax casting, delft casting (oh and broom, and cuttlebone casting - add those too)  
  • Gemology and lapidary
  • Glass - I loved making my own cabochons, and using dichroic glass in my silver.   'Must learn more' I thought at the time.  I'm still with that same thought.
  • Enamels - oh lordy I love those enamels, but I'm not sure they love me back 
I have been on a very steep metal rimmed learning curve in the past couple of years, and I have taken in a huge amount of knowledge that I never envisaged would be there, but is it ultimately a positive that the more you know, the more you need to know, when this self imposed need to learn is actually just adding more things to your to-do list and therefore, pressure on yourself?    Is it better maybe to focus on one thing and be really really good at that, or is it preferable to have a little good first-hand knowledge of a lot of things?  

To be fair to myself, the list is huge and a large number of things are not included here because they are already ticked (in pencil - full "expert" capacity is a tall order), but in the course of this blog - I expect to tick off one of those every few months.   Unless I find something else to divert my attention, like oh bugs, Palladium.

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