During the last few months of 2022, I was really struggling to get to my torch and make anything. I wasn't knitting but I was enjoying working on different art mediums such as watercolor and sketching. I thought I was done with lampwork glass and was ready to leave that behind. I started playing in glass in 2006 so 17 years is a long time and maybe it had run its course. After working on surface pattern design exclusively for the first three months of 2023, I went back to the torch to work on a small collection. Knitting was also added back in the mix. Things started to feel ok.
For the past couple weeks, I have been talking with a friend who has a coaching business. The conversations have shifted my perspective and made me realize that I had burned myself (no pun intended) out. Now I have some clarity on how to do both glass and surface design. Working with watercolor, pens and pencils and creating on the IPad are something that is going to definitely continue but glass will have a place along side and even be added into some of the art.