Experimenting or Broadening?

Last night was one of my favorite nights of the month - the night the Kansas City chapter of the PMC Guild meets. (The Precious Metal Clay Guild is a national organization for people who work in PMC). This is an eclectic group of artists who nearly all have a wide range of interests and skills who also (have, are or will) work (ed) in PMC.

Now, if you know me or you've seen my stuff, you know I do beadwork, play with wire (copper, silver and iron), create with polymer clay (check out the KCPCG), fabricate in sterling silver, do a lot of sewing and creative cooking and am a retired computer geek. And now I'm also trying resin and learning to sculpt doll heads from my friends at MCODA.

To me, this is normal. I may have ADHD and I know I'm easily distracted. And production work is NOT my thing. I'd prefer to make 100 pieces that are all different than make 3 of the same thing.... But it was brought home to me how not-normal this is to some people when one of the members said to me (at least twice) "You sure do like to experiment!" And it's true. I also like to learn new techniques. Just because I've never done something is no reason that I can't.

So, here's my latest experiment: a little creature, sculpted and clothed with polymer clay on a wire armature. I'm not sure what his name is yet, but I think he's British, somewhat Tolkien-esque. Maybe Algernon or Digby. In the photo he's holding a strand of hand-twisted yarn, but he's currently standing in my living room with a small basket waiting for spring flowers.