Every now and then a little elf steps into the studio while I am working and starts asking these annoying questions.
What are you doing?
Why are you wasting your time working on that?
PRODUCTION WORK?!!!
WTH?!!!
He (yep the little bugger is a "he"), I shall name him Doubt, infects my mind from time to time.
This all happened last Friday while making some of my New Orleans' Token pendants.
So I reached down deep inside me to think about the "why". I thought about it because I was running towards something else and resisting the moment.
As I sat there at my bench working on this particular token pendant here is what came to me.
These particular tokens were minted in 1947 and 1970. They differ only on what is said on the back (1947 - "One Base Fare" and 1970 - "One Cash Fare") .
The ones I use for my pendants are minted in 1947.
I do not clean them up. Instead I examine them, hold them, turn them over in my hand, and then begin my work.
I do not clean them up because they carry the terroir and energy of the city.
Imagine how many hands these tokens must have touched. These tokens traveled ALL over the city well into the 1970s. Sitting there in the money box inside the street cars, being handled from the people here, and soaking up all of the cities energy,
becoming charged...
becoming a
talisman!
This particular pendant is going to a native New Orlenian who is about to move to another city on her own. I find this very admirable. Leaving your native city at a young age and going to a place where you know NO ONE!
INCREDIBLE
BRAVE
Courageous!
I get this overwhelming wave of emotion.
When she feels alone or fearful all she need do is hold it in her hand, this talisman, and she will not be alone.
She will have New Orleans with her always.
This is why I make these tokens of mine. I did not realize I was making a talisman. That is what is so great about this journey.
For a long time I have been fighting on making production work but now I realize something. If I am going to make production work then whatever it is I have to have a love for it and I do love me some talismans and amulets. Anything to increase positive power or ward off that evil eye.
You never know when one is eyeing you!
hahahaha
It is a talisman for anyone, native or not.
What are you doing?
Why are you wasting your time working on that?
PRODUCTION WORK?!!!
WTH?!!!
He (yep the little bugger is a "he"), I shall name him Doubt, infects my mind from time to time.
This all happened last Friday while making some of my New Orleans' Token pendants.
So I reached down deep inside me to think about the "why". I thought about it because I was running towards something else and resisting the moment.
As I sat there at my bench working on this particular token pendant here is what came to me.
 |
| New Orleans Token Pendant |
The ones I use for my pendants are minted in 1947.
I do not clean them up. Instead I examine them, hold them, turn them over in my hand, and then begin my work.
I do not clean them up because they carry the terroir and energy of the city.
Imagine how many hands these tokens must have touched. These tokens traveled ALL over the city well into the 1970s. Sitting there in the money box inside the street cars, being handled from the people here, and soaking up all of the cities energy,
becoming charged...
becoming a
talisman!
This particular pendant is going to a native New Orlenian who is about to move to another city on her own. I find this very admirable. Leaving your native city at a young age and going to a place where you know NO ONE!
INCREDIBLE
BRAVE
Courageous!
When she feels alone or fearful all she need do is hold it in her hand, this talisman, and she will not be alone.
She will have New Orleans with her always.
This is why I make these tokens of mine. I did not realize I was making a talisman. That is what is so great about this journey.
For a long time I have been fighting on making production work but now I realize something. If I am going to make production work then whatever it is I have to have a love for it and I do love me some talismans and amulets. Anything to increase positive power or ward off that evil eye.
You never know when one is eyeing you!
hahahaha
It is a talisman for anyone, native or not.
Namaste
Kalaya
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