It’s that time of year when I must produce. Whether for a show, to rebuild inventory, or finish pieces held in shop Limbo by my obstinacy about completing pieces I am not a hundred percent happy with.
There is also a conflict with the day job, which suddenly gets busy. So, when I should be in the shop, I run out at night to cover an event or a meeting. So, I feel guilty about the three new projects I’ve also been determined to create, which have the wood selected, and the design completed, but no forward progress from me.
Completing and selling projects is good. The end is about payment after the creative whims have been satisfied. And there is a certain gleam in your eye as you count money. After all, it pays to keep the lights on and acts as a stimulus for creativity. So old projects go on to new homes, and new projects form on the bench.
I am unsure which end of the equation is most satisfying—the joy of the creation or the pleasure of the payment.
Actually, I think it’s important to balance them. Too much emphasis on the creation, and you can’t bear to part with a piece. Too much reliance on the payment, and you become a factory watching how many pieces you can move a day.