[Fwd: Soap boxes, alloys and attitudes!]

Let me offer you a story:

A boy heard stories of a beautiful iridescent blue butterfly, the
Xenartcl butterfly, that fluttered in the beams of sunshine on the
other side of the jungle. He would dream about the legendary
Xenartcl, day and night He thought of nothing more important than
playing with such a creature, and was told that no one knew the
way to the other side of the jungle. He knew that to the butterfly
there were lions and tigers and bears, and by the time he could
hold the butterfly he would be much older… and there was no
assurance he would find it…

Years and years and years the boy traveled the jungle, . He met
the lions, tigers and bears. He was lost most the time, but one
day was able to look at the Xenartcl in his palm…and his eyes
shined. And it was worth his voyage. The boy, now older and a
young man, worn and poorer, he showed the village his beautiful
butterfly when he returned home. “What a beautiful butterfly!”
exclaimed the villagers. “Please tell us where you got it. We want
it, too!” “It’s on the other side of the jungle,” the young man
said. “But there are lions and tigers and bears. And it’s a long
way. And it takes time.”

Angry, the villagers shouted, “Then give us your butterfly! We
have no time! We will pay you! We do not want to journey! We just
want the butterfly!” The young man said, “I don’t care about your
money. The Xenartcl was only a legend! I cannot give you the
butterfly because he represents my battles through the jungle. The
butterfly was my quest. I spent years in the jungle. Make your
journeys, it will make you strong. It is not the butterfly. I
have become stonger from the trek where no one has travelled to see
that legends are true. The butterfly is important to me because of
my sacrifice.” Some of the villagers who thought the Xenartcl was
only a story, admired the butterfly and set off on their own
voyages in pursuit of legends they have heard.

And man dreamt of magic carpets, shiny precious things of green
platinum and floating gems. He heard intriguing whispers of such
things in the dark rumblings of the lions and the tiger and the
bears during his voyage He knew such things were, and by the time
he could find them he would be much older… and there was no
assurance he would find it…

The villagers who stayed home only see what was brought to
them…not what they themselves have found. They did not risk, they
had their lives, everyday, waiting for the legends to appear.

Discovery is fresh and new. Research is difficult and risky, but
this is how we learn… I know much better than most how frustrating
it can be. But it is hard work. Real creativity cannot be stifled,
and they’ve tried. This is how we are victorious. This is what
makes us strong. Sonchiro Honda said, " I spent 99.9% of my life
failing." Are we willing to fail to succeed? How much?

Much of the esoteric knowledge I have acquired was due to the
chances I take. I, too, have sold on milking stools in the street
since I was 14 years old. That is my pleasure…the battle. I am
building bigger ships for longer voyages, from deeper legends.

What is blue gold? A color of alloy. So, what does it mean? Why
do we make art?

Steven Kretchmer


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Subject: Re: [Orchid] Soap boxes, alloys and attitudes!
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1998 02:31:43 -0500
From: Loveland <drewblanc@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: orchid@ganoksin.com

    This is a sore subject for me. In my years on the road I
    wintered in Texas selling in a street market. This was full of
    the most secretive bastards you would ever want to meet, and also
    the most stagnant artists too. Almost all of them learned from
    one source or another and then withdrew into their safe little
    line, never to share or learn anything.

    Not only does this create an atmosphere of stagnation
    technically it also stifles creativity. I have learned many
    techniques from this list that I will probably never use but each
    and every one stirs the creative juices, without which we become
    nothing more than factory workers.

    These folks also had the attitude that if they were the only
    person selling at the market, they would get all the sales. In
    reality, if you are the only person selling, then you just become
    a bum on the street. We all need each other to create a market,
    we even need the K-Marts of the jewelry world.

    Leave the Krechmers of the word alone, they will self destruct,
    just as the poor souls mentioned above did. I left every year and
    spent time in the real world, rubbing elbows with other artists,
    and came back with a fresh outlook and a fresh line of jewelry.
    And they were left to wonder why my sales were better

    OK, I’ll get down off the soap box now, Besides I’m afraid of
    heights.

Let me offer you a story:

A boy heard stories of a beautiful iridescent blue butterfly, the Xenartcl butterfly, that fluttered in the beams of sunshine on the
other side of the jungle.  He would dream about the legendary Xenartcl, day and night   He thought of nothing more important
than playing with such a creature, and was told that no one knew the way to the other side of the jungle.  He knew that to the
butterfly there were lions and tigers and bears, and by the time he could hold the butterfly he would be much older... and there
was no assurance he would find it...

Years and years and years the boy traveled the jungle, .  He met the lions, tigers and bears.  He was lost most the time, but one day was able to look at the Xenartcl in his palm....and his eyes shined.  And it was worth his voyage.  The boy, now older and
a young man, worn and poorer, he showed the village his beautiful butterfly when he returned home.  "What a beautiful
butterfly!" exclaimed the villagers. "Please tell us where you got it. We want it, too!"  "It's on the other side of the jungle," the
young man said.  "But there are lions and tigers and bears.  And it's a long way.  And it takes time."

Angry, the villagers shouted, "Then give us your butterfly!  We have no time!  We will pay you!  We do not want to journey!
We just want the butterfly!"  The young man said, "I don't care about your money.  The Xenartcl was only a legend!  I cannot
give you the butterfly because he represents my battles through the jungle.  The butterfly was my quest.  I spent years in the
jungle.  Make your journeys, it will make you strong.  It is not the butterfly.  I have become stonger from the trek where no one has travelled to see that legends are true.  The butterfly is important to me because of my sacrifice."  Some of the villagers who
thought the Xenartcl was only a story, admired the butterfly and set off on their own voyages in pursuit of legends they have
heard.

And man dreamt of magic carpets, shiny precious things of green platinum and floating gems. He heard intriguing whispers of
such things in the dark rumblings of the lions and the tiger and the bears during his voyage   He knew such things were, and by
the time he could find them he would be much older... and there was no assurance he would find it...

The villagers who stayed home only see what was brought to them...not what they themselves have found.  They did not risk,
they had their lives, everyday, waiting for the legends to appear.

Discovery is fresh and new.  Research is difficult and risky, but this is how we learn..  I know much better than most how
frustrating it can be.  But it is hard work. Real creativity cannot be stifled, and they've tried. This is how we are victorious.  This is what makes us strong.  Sonchiro Honda said, " I spent 99.9% of my life failing."  Are we willing to fail to succeed?  How much?

Much of the esoteric knowledge I have acquired was due to the chances I take.  I, too, have sold on milking stools in the street since I was 14 years old. That is my pleasure...the battle.  I am building  bigger ships for longer voyages, from deeper legends.

What is blue gold?  A color of alloy.  So, what does it mean?  Why do we make art?
 
 
 
Steven Kretchmer
 
 
 
 
 

T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t   a n d   D i g e s t

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~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Tips From The Jeweler’s Bench - Article Search
~ Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community
MetalCalc and Units Conversion
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/MetalCalc/
Gemology and Jewelry Related Books Database
~ http://ganoksin.com/library/index.cgi?setup_file=jewel_books.setup
______________________________________________________________________

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FAQ Compiled and Maintained by: Eve Wallace <evew@indra.com>
______________________________________________________________________

 

AC6F60747E4D33FB908300FC–

Steven,

I really don’t think anyone, at least anyone who uses their head
for thinking and not a hat rack, begrudges you recompense for your
arduous journey. I think that a mistake is being made in the
differentiation between a common or even an uncommon mechanical
manipulation and a proprietary process or formulation. If a
student, and we are all both students and teachers simultaneously,
is serious enough, and attempts to learn a procedure on their own
and must ask for help, it is encumbant on the teacher to assist,
or to relinquish the title of teacher and assume the mantle of
selfish Prima Donna! I don’t think any thinking individual would
begrudge you your just recompense. How blue is it?:slight_smile: I hope you
make a bundle but I suspect that is secondary to the quest.

Regards,

Skip

                                  Skip Meister
                                NRA Endowment and
                                   Instructor
                                @Skip_Meister
                                04/09/9815:38:44