Creative Freedom

How does one define creative freedom?

This answer will certainly vary from each imaginative, gifted, artistic soul to the next. For me, being a former design director in the corporate world, there are many meanings. To be fair, there were countless moments of sheer joy and success, but many were hard fought.  Now, I am no longer constrained by deadlines, budgets, opinions, criticisms, and rejections to name just a few.

Creative freedom means I can conceive and build everything my spirit craves, without scrutiny and audit by anyone other than myself.  I can work as few or as many hours necessary to complete a project to my satisfaction. It also means managing every detail related to this small business. The up's and down's are explicitly mine to handle, solve, enjoy and admire. It's a scary thing, but having complete ownership, accepting what comes with this blossoming venture is definitely worthwhile.  

As artists we crave to inspire others and seek admiration for our work, providing validation and a sense of purpose. If by chance we only inspire ourselves, at least we have done so with absolute conviction, inner fulfillment, and most importantly, creative freedom.

I hope you have a chance stop by and visit Jackie Jordan, LLC to see my latest jewelry creations. Each item is handcrafted with pure delight. 

Sincerely,

Jackie  

"Creativity is contagious, pass it on"  Albert Einstein 

Follow

Treasure Hunting Tucson Style

One of my ultimate pleasures is treasure hunting for jewelry embellishments. The search can be for something specific, such as a stone or pearl, but the primary goal is discovering unique elements to excite and inspire my creative soul. 

My favorite excursion happens in Tucson, Arizona, where multitudes of gem and mineral shows blanket the city. This colossal exhibition of wondrous extractions from the earth will make you dizzy and in awe of Mother Nature. The magnitude of jaw dropping gifts from the planet to hold and behold is beyond description. 

Navigating such an expo takes planning. Comfortable shoes are an absolute necessity, sunscreen, for the numerous outdoor venues, patience, as the crowds are exhausting, a list of essentials and must see shows, a good friend to tell you “you don’t need that”, and a budget. Save time for random excursions to visit the bead, glass and art fairs scattered throughout the town.

With those criteria met, my trooper pal Marge and I, trekked for miles in and out of hotel rooms, tents, ballrooms, warehouses, and parking lots with row after row of tables overflowing with nature’s bounty. I restrained myself from buying a 6-foot tall lingam stone, behemoth amethyst geode and a dinosaur skeleton, (yes you can buy those too), but instead acquired many gorgeous petite gems that fit handily into my backpack.

After three days of scrutinizing and selecting every specimen, I finally had time to admire my cache of tiny jewels, imagining what they might become. Iridescent boulder opals, sparkling geodes and druzy crystals, lustrous pearls, and slate speckled with shiny pyrite will keep me in creative bliss for weeks to come.

This treasure hunt was an adventure, a learning experience, a reminder of and appreciation for the beauty of our earth. It was also an inspired and successful journey to propel my artistic vision forward and encourage my return next year. 

Now it's back to the bench to create something special with these fantastic finds. 

Always inspired, 

Jackie

Follow

The Tale of Frozen Charlotte

Late 1800s Frozen Charlotte Doll Parts

Downtown McKinney, TX is a beautifully revitalized historic square filled with lovely boutiques, restaurants, antique malls and shops. A frequent destination, this place inspires me with its enduring architecture, quaint atmosphere, unique charm and character. The best reason for venturing here however, is treasure hunting. 

On one such outing, several years ago, while perusing one of my favorite little antique stores, I happened upon a small vessel brimming with miniature porcelain dolls, all of which were missing various body parts. Asking the shop owner if there was a story behind them, she gladly provided a brief history. Fascinated, yet not knowing exactly what they would become, I had to have just a few.  

These tiny dolls, made in Germany in the late 1800s, are being unearthed as old doll factories are dismantled. They also have a name, Frozen Charlotte, due to their immovable body parts. These “broken” Frozen Charlottes, held more interest for me than ones completely intact. I made my purchase, headed home to research more, and figure out a new use for these alluring curiosities. 

I sat with the Frozen Charlottes for a while and finally decided to wire one to a length of rubber cord and make her into a necklace. She was unlike any other piece of jewelry I had ever made. I fell in love with this little doll instantly, returned to historic McKinney, and purchased the rest.

Since that time I have acquired numerous Frozen Charlottes in a variety of sizes and conditions. Heads and busts, headless, limbless, stained and crazed with decades of character. I have crafted jewelry and objects with these precious dolls, each with its own interesting personality. She is an object of art, a distinctive paperweight, display for your favorite earrings or a necklace to adorn you. Knowing these Frozen Charlottes enjoy a second life and new purpose brings me great pleasure. I hope one of these charismatic gems will find its way into your heart. You can find them here at Shop Jewelry and Shop Objects

Creatively yours,

Jackie

Follow