A Word from a Word Artist

This being my first blog at ArtLeah, I should confess that I’m not a jewelry maker. But maybe that’s an advantage in commenting on jewelry. By profession I’m a writer, and that is an advantage in commenting on a lot of things. But why jewelry of all things?

I was always fascinated by jewelry. My earliest memories of my grandmother were of sitting on her lap and playing with her dangling earrings that caught the light, and her chain bracelets with charms that clinked and danced from her wrist. They were wonderfully shiny things I was too young to wear at the time – but not too young to love.

Another thing captivated me from childhood: Words. I was making up rhymes, songs and stories in my head before I knew how to write them down. (No doubt my learning to read from “Dr. Suess” books had a lot to do with that!)  I wrote non-stop for school projects, for self-expression, for fun.

So in college I wavered between two majors: Art and Writing. I graduated with an Art degree, and quickly saw that I would join the ranks of “starving artists” if I tried to make a living from it. I turned to Writing for an income, and found my gift for the English language was needed in the business world: brochures, slogans, websites, multimedia scripts, and of course editing other people’s oddball English. So for the last 30 years I’ve been living a dream – being paid to do something I love.

So why am I blogging for ArtLeah’s online jewelry site?  Well, we have a lot in common.

1. Leah and her fellow-artists are living the same dream – being free to do what they love, do it well, and attract buyers who identify with their creations. 
2. Art and Writing are Kissing Cousins – two ways to express who you are, what you feel. Both require talent, discipline and the willingness to spend long hours alone. And yet, the fruits of both are more rewarding when shared with others.
3. The beauty in both speaks directly to the soul. A well-written statement becomes a glittering jewel to the mind, just like a well-crafted necklace becomes a beautiful statement to the senses.
4. Lastly, Art and Writing often enrich each other. The best expression of this is also the most ancient one, found in the Bible: “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.” (Proverbs 25:11)  King Solomon, the main author of Proverbs, was famous in history for his art design AND his writing – not to mention his wisdom!  So I feel like I’m in good company as I take a peek into the history of jewelry, the world of ArtLeah, and what words can do to reflect the beauty found there.