My Own ‘Reckless Daughter’

A few weeks ago, Seth Godin wrote a keenly insightful post about Joni Mitchell’s album, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter. That’s when I realized what I’d done in creating Giving Voice. I didn’t write the book peple wanted me to write next. I didn’t tell them how to make better earrings. I didn’t tell them how to do one of the many techniques I can do in my sleep. I didn’t give them step-by-step instructions on how to make better art. Instead, I did the work I wanted to do, put out the project I could be most proud of at this juncture in my life.

13 years ago, I was a single mom, freaked out about how I’d ever be able to put my son through college. I was making ends meet as a working artist and counted myself very lucky to do so by making the work that was important to me. How I’d ever get ahead though was beyond me until one day when 6 year old Skyler came running down the hall and into my arms, and it hit me all at once. I couldn’t scale one of a kind art, but I could scale my unique know-how. Over 6 full length videos and books, plus 3 other books I’ve edited, 6 utterly unique products, and more workshops that I can count, I turned my know how into a world-wide renaissance for historical metal techniques that has benefited thousands of other artists and forever raised the bar in fine craft education.

Now it’s my turn again. I’m mostly alone in the studio and back to making the work that comes out of the depth of my soul. Doing this kind of work is a brave leap. I know it’s brave because I’m confronted every single day by just how scary it feels to ignore the world’s expectations and how utterly vulnerable this kind of work makes me.

So this new book…it isn’t for everyone. It won’t teach you how to make earrings, but it very well might change how you see the world and how you connect with the people who are important to you.