the only constant

The only constant, we fear.

Wrestling this beast as if we had a chance in victory. 
a battle to always pick. and to always lose.
No matter the circumstance,
there's always that fight.

Always the struggle between what was.

and what is coming.

Always the fear that what is ahead

might not be good *enough*

and yet...

Budding leaves.

always turn golden 

and drop 

for the sleepy winter season.

Time always continues.

***

This slice of turquoise hangs in between.
A dance between the past and the future. 

A pendulum of change.

***

Change courses through my veins this season.

I want.

I need.

I feel.

I crave it.

Change is just nearly in reach,

and yet I still feel

no movement.

Slow is the pendulum.

And I am impatient.

I can't help but claim this breastplate as armor,

armor for the next battle of change.

An amulet of protection.

Protecting me from the constant swing of it.

The constant wrestling with myself.

To fly...even when the weather changes.

even when the unknown is just that.

not known.

now THAT...

that is an art.

A breastplate of armor,

a shield.

a reminder.

nothing stays the same.

fixed, maybe.

but the same.

never.

C H A N G E.

The only constant.

In the Etsy shop today.

Glacier Metal Arts & Sharrey Dore

This has been a long time coming.

Can't tell you how exciting this is for all us metalsmiths and aspiring metal artists here in Northwest Montana.

Glacier Metal Arts Studio is OPEN!

A dear mentor and friend, Karen Chesna, has opened her own studio and class space in Kalispell, with an enameling kiln, burnout kilns, vacuum caster, centrifugal casting equipment, and a heck of a lot more that I can't fit into my tiny bungalito studio.

This is great news.

The woman! (hurraw!)

and the wonderful class space!

Aaaaand!  She has the studio available for 

guest speakers and teachers!

I had the pleasure of taking a 3-day evening class with miss Sharrey Dore.

(view her talented work in reticulation, granulation, stone-setting, and other awesome stuff HERE!)

I scribbled like a madman. 

Trying to get it all in.

a fountain of knowledge.

"sometimes the best way is to let go of the rules,

and just do what works for you."

-Sharrey

I like that.

a lot.

She cracked me up.

She kept saying

"They're MY tools,

and I CAN Do WHATEVER I WANT WITH THEM!"

bahahahahaah! So true, yet we forget sometimes :)

the project was a bi-metal pin, domed hollow-project,
 and textured.

Tricky.

but MAN, did Sharrey have some tricks.

snappy backs for pins.

crazy pin-heads.

pick-soldering tutorials.

Tricks on getting a good fit.

Sneaky tube settings.

GOLD. solid GOLD.

So much stuff to learn...

metal is such deep water.

From left top

Me, Lynn, Terri, Sharrey, Barb and Rob.

Rob and I.

This was my first metals buddy...

we took night classes at the college three years ago.

We sat together, humming and haawing about the possibilities.

and the struggles.

and the snapped blades.

the melted bezels.

the curse words.

the "Awww...Sh**" moments.

Kinda nice to have that again.

:)

Thank you Karen, and Sharrey.

Ya' blew my wig back.

first snow

Ahh yes.

Just when I thought it was fall...

getting used to the idea really.

snow.

lots.

wtf.

Time to get my sh** together.

It's coming.

and it's real.

Montana winter.

not to be f-ed with.

Chickens need heat tape.

Wood needs piling, chopping, stacking, and tarping.

and I need to find my snow boots.

 crap.