Talent Is a Gift from God

Your talent is God’s gift to you.

What you do with it is your gift back to God. 
Leo Buscaglia

For as far as I can remember, I have always had some kind of creative utensil with me. Whether it was a simple pencil or pen, or an entire set of acrylic paints, my life would not feel complete if I didn’t have something to express myself.

As a grown-up, I carry around my set of markers and a sketch book and coloring pages. I started doing this before it was a thing.

When it comes to talent, I don’t know much about that. I certainly am not a Picasso or a Van Gogh. That never stopped me. I color, draw, paint, sew,,, If in my mind I can picture myself doing it, I do.

Talk to my close family and friends and they will say that I have talent. But, I know the truth.

Talent Is Taking Risks

My motto has always been I can do that! Then, I figure it out. As a kid, I put myself in situations from which others would have shied away. It didn’t bother me because I knew that somehow, someway, whatever it was could be done.

Some of my most treasured memories come from doing things for which I had no talent. Acting, playing softball, being a cheer-leader, these are all things that had I not just thrown myself into them, I would never have experienced them. Trust me when I say, I could not catch a fly ball!

The same goes for my art. My art because it is my style, my way of seeing the world. When I finally gave up the desire to be like others and stopped comparing my work to them, I saw a sudden change.

I am not afraid to be criticized, I welcome constructive criticism.

Talented Jeweler???

When I added jewelry to my creative releases, I didn’t know the slightest thing. Years ago, a co-worker who retired gave me some of her supplies. There was a little box containing many pretty beads and other metal findings. On that day, a seed was planted and my jewelry fascination began.

Many, many years later, needing something to keep me sane, I turned to that little box. It had only been opened once or twice before during moments where I wanted to zone-out. Picking up the beads and playing with them gave me Peace. So, I turned to it again.

This particular time was different. It was the beginning of my journey, one that has been filled with teachable moments, physical and emotional.

Physically, jewelry, as a medium lets me express myself in ways that I couldn’t with other media. I can bend, distort, connect, take apart, something I cannot do while painting. It is that hands-on aspect that does it for me.

Emotionally, I have a connection that I do not share with the other media. There’s spirituality and a sense of completion.

Talent or Savvy

I take risks, now more than ever through my jewelry making. I use tools and materials that I have never used before. Some I have to learn to use from scratch; others trial and error. I feel that talent has nothing to do with it.

With this medium I can be me. Me… I see it in my mind and I try and form it. I have noticed less beads and more metal I guess because I can mold it and make it what I want it to be.

Maybe my talent is risk taking! If that is the case then I’m giving back to God a lot of gifts!

So, What Do You Think?

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