Thursday, January 8, 2009

Definitions II

Ariel got the cutest game for Christmas to be played on the Wii. It's called "My Sims", and basically you move into a town, name it, meet the mayor, and then suddenly become the architect, interior designer, grounds keeper and PR person for the town. During play, you get tips and one of the tips is to "build something nice for yourself -- you deserve it".

T-man made me promise years ago that I would make something nifty for myself at least once a year, something that wasn't a sample or a proposal. It had to be something just for me, not for sale and not necessarily to be reproduced. Sometimes I use my own design, and sometimes I use someone else's (like my Scheherazade necklace designed by Liz Smith or my Laura McCabe Dahlia Locket.
Now in doing this, am I being selfish, especially when I design something I don't intend to share?

Anyway, today I think I'll make something quick and easy, just for me. I'll share pics later. Later, kids!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Absolutely not! I remember reading a story about an author who wrote a bestseller and then hid away in a mansion with his proceeds. A reporter asked whether the author had the obligation to write more, as he did it so well, and therefore should. The conclusion was, finally, that his talent was his, not society's.
Your right is to make something for yourself that you do not share. Other's jealousy, covetousness, or demand that you publish is not your problem.
Enjoy.
Carol

Bead-Mused said...

Long ago in a social club I no longer belong to, a very talented artist was lambasted (in her absence) because she chose not to teach a certain technique that was her trademark. Other members felt she had an "obligation" to share. It was, after all, an social club based on education. What I thought of those members is not worth mentioning, but you probably get my point.

But this is why I asked for opinion here, because for every dear person like you, who says "no" there will be another who believes with every fiber of their being that everything I do should be shared. Oh, the life of the artiste (insert overly dramatic sigh here -- LOL).

And yes, poking fun at myself is allowed.


Theresa

Anonymous said...

I can see that it would be a shame for a technique to be lost because the inventor did not share. Maybe the instructions could be left in a safe-deposit box "to be opened in the event of . . ." Or the piece be willed to someone who would write them up.
My husband says someone seeing your work could reverse engineer it anyway. Conceivable. But it still beats having to work up the instructions.
Bottom line, though, is that what is yours is yours and no one can demand that you market it. Those who do might be asked how they would feel if it was theirs.
Carol

Bead-Mused said...

That last question was in fact raised and met with blank stares. HAH! The members involved did not have much artistic bent, they just liked to imitate.

I do take notes of everything I do, whether it's for me or you. I have notebooks stashed with the beads, sketchbooks on the tables, sticky notes here and there. But soon they will be ORGANIZED!

hugs!
Theresa

Anonymous said...

All fine and well to be organized, but creativity comes first. As my refridgerator magnet says: "Dull people have immaculate houses." You are definitely not dull. Fortunately you said organized, not immaculate. No sense getting carried away.

Bead-Mused said...

I've always found other things more important to do than clean house! Organized I can be!

Theresa