Kalaya Steede

Yours is to live it, not to reveal it. ~Helen Luke Sometimes I get caught up in the game.  The game of striving for importance.   What do I mean by this?   Well...as a kid I fantasized about being important, famous, or even rich.  I think for the most part we are taught that self-importance comes with having a great job (that pays well), a big house, nice car, and even kids.  These are some examples of success. So it is not a mystery when this feeling crosses over into my art.  Sometimes I feel the need to think about what will sell.  To make pieces that EVERYONE will love and want but is this the objective in being an artist?  It is quite difficult to be in the minds of others and then trying to make things that the public would like but you yourself do not like at all! So when I make certain pieces, that I have a blast making, but know in my heart that the general public would not like I feel guilty.  I say to myself that...

Trying to come up with ideas is sometimes daunting.  But yesterday was so much fun!  I cannot even start to explain how fun it is to take something that has been used and breathe new life into them.  I had these .38 SPL casings (that have been fired) sitting around for at least a year.  I was supposed to make this belt buckle with them but I was lazy so they just sat there on my shelf.  Anyway yesterday I decided I needed to make some jewelry for men.  Not for ANY man either...but for those badass men out there.   Like my friends husband which I shall not name!  hahaha!!! Some guys really look good in necklaces and bracelets.  The guy that comes to my mind is Johnny Depp.  He can Rock just about anything!!!   Need I say more? I sawed, cut, filed, and wire wrapped yesterday for about 3 hours.  Did you know that the .38 caliber casing shell is different thickness throughout? And here is what I came ...