Personal discipline

[Rich Hale]

When we craft an item how much do we consider how that item represents who we are and what do we wish to be in the future? No matter who we are or where we go from here how do we wish to be percieved and does that matter to us? When a next door neighbor asks us to weld a handle back onto his lawnmower do we glob it on and let it go or do we clean up the weld and shoot a tad of primer on it? If we wish to grow in our craft how do we sell or give away an item that will be the equal of what we think we may do int the future? Most of us need to sell something now and then in order to replace suppliles and upgrade our shop or knowledge. A lot of us budget monies for further education. The funds have to come from somewhere. So, when we make a piece and it does not meet our expectations what do we do with it?
Keep this in mind; It represents you, simply that, it says a lot about who you are now when you made it and what your skill level is at this point in time. If the person that receives the piece follows your work they will be pleased later when the obtain another that is made to the abilites you have gathered along the way. For me if the piece does not represent me as I see myself at the time of its birth it never leaves the shop. I keep it as a reminder that I let myself down with my work. I don,t believe this is an arrogant attitude simply that whatever I make I want to be proud of. I believe that if you work at whatever level you are at and do the best you can then you are on top of the game. I see this as a mental challenge. What am I willing to let others see and or own that represents my work? If I work with the very basis limited shop tools and do the best I can and am pleased with the piece I can be content. If I have an up to date shop and let shabby work go out can I be happy? We all have our own thoughts on what we wish to achieve in our work. We can choose our own goals and work towards the future.
think of it in this that I stole from somewhere in the past.
Good is the enemy of excellence
Excellence is a decision
There is more to the saying but to me the idea is represented best by the ones I quoted. Thanks to whever wrote that.
Rich Hale

[Blacksmith Jim]

The only problem I see with this, is that sometimes artists are overly critical about their work. The might see a single problem and think it shows something bad about there skill. However, someone else might easily view there work as amazing, and not even notice the flaw.

My sister can draw and paint beautiful works of art. But she used to throw them away because she didn't like them. My family would pull them out of the trash to frame and keep.

[HWooldridge]

Rich,

I agree completely with everything you say...

I did a bit of gunsmithing to help get myself thru college. I taught myself on my own personal firearms before I did work for anyone else. One of my pickier customers once said he gave me work because he knew it would always be better than when he dropped it off. That is because I was more concerned about it than anyone else and I did everything with files and stones - no power tools.

Some of my early blacksmithing work was not up to the standards I have now but it was primarily because I just didn't know any better. At this point in my life, I would not let those questionable pieces out of the shop but that was the best I could do at the time.

My grandfather once told me that the only thing I had was my good name. That led me to a mindset that each piece should be better than the last. Nothing will ever be perfect but striving toward it is the prime motivation for me.

[Tyler Murch]

Rich,
I believe you struck it squarely on the head when you said " if the piece does not represent me as I see myself at the time of its birth it never leaves the shop."

I believe that in blacksmithing, and in most everything else in life, one must do and say what one thinks that day. Sure, everyone has some standards and ideals that remain constant at all times, but one's thoughts and feelings about things are shaped differently every day. One should not be commited to a particular thought that one had about a particular thing yesterday. Let your work reflect what you think the day you made it.

[Daryl]

There is nothing that irratates me more than seeing artisans, particularly smiths, who have the skills and talents well beyond the products they sell. I am not speaking of someone who produces one or two repeat items to keep the door open and the rest is progressively better work. I am talking in particular about someone who does the same thing endlessly, never straying from the path, and yet could easily create many more works of merit (that would easily sell). I make many pieces of ka-ka, they don't leave the shop, they stay for reference for future ideas and to demonstrate progress or lack of it.
Discoveries are rarely made and progress rarley happens, when one sits on the porch.
.
Remember: Mediocrity is less than what it is supposed to be.

[Ten Hammers]

I absolutely agree with you Rich and Hollis. Jim Wilson used to comment that if you made something and put your touchmark on it it was to be proud of and if not, the item was not for sale. I have had folks tell me that I am an artist and I always tell them that I am Irish, not an artist. Besides, if you are an artist, you have to eat crossants and listen to that long haired classical music etc... my point is, I am a Smith. I wish to remain humble ( and by typing this it is sorta defeating my purpose ) in myself. Folks like my stuff, thats great. I'm tickled. My stuff carries a lifetime guarantee. You abuse it, that is different. I want folks to be happy. I am spread so thin that this is a challenge indeed. My smithing is indeed part of my income and my life. I enjoy history and spend time talking, reading and looking for accuracy.

[Woody]

Good enough is NEVER good enough.

[patrickrock]

Ah yes, but perfect is the enemy of finished.

[jimmy seale]

beauty is in the eye of the beholder-beliefe is in the heart!!

[Don A]

"We strive for perfection, but settle for excellence."

Don

[ThomasPowers]

One old smith, (who had been a paid smith for over 60 years when I knew him) once told me that putting $10 worth of work in a $1 job was not the way to go; that each job had it's own level of what was required and going beyond that was cheating yourself.

Of course he was not an artist; just a respected craftsman that people would travel half a day to have him do their work---his level was never "the minimun required" either.

[IronPuppet]

I always do my best. No matter what it is I am doing at the time. Washing dishes or mowing the lawn, I always do what I consider a proper job. I do this for my own self worth. Anything less is humiliating.

I do take on contracts and build stuff for clients. What they are buying is my expertise. What they get is what we agree they will receive for the amount they want to pay. Often there are times when I could do a job better than they are willing to pay for. They don't want to fork out for the best of materials and the most advanced techniques. This means that I am not working to my potential, but I always give 100% to the task at hand. I do my best regardless of what I am to do and strive to do good work. If they are paying for "good enough" then that's what they get, but it's not my choice.

I say "good" work and not "excellent" work, for it is my opinion that it is not up to me to call my work excellent. That is a distinction that others bestow upon my work if they like it enough. To me the work is either good quality or poor quality and I always strive to do good. Inevitably, due to circumstances and the unforeseen, substandard work does happen to occur. I never let this go and keep at it until I can say I am pleased with the effort, or I start over with what I learned from the first attempt.

It is also not my place to call myself an artist. That is what other people will call me if it happens to be so. I call myself a craftsman and let the chips fall as they may. If someone calls you an artist, you should thank them humbly and deeply. It is the highest form of compliment you could receive. It does you no good to compliment yourself, it only deludes you. Anyone can call themselves an artist, but to be an artist takes an awful lot of hard work. Then, one day, a stranger looks at your body of work and says, "You're an artist!" An unprovoked compliment like that can really make your day.

Always do good work and you will be happy at the end of the day.

This is what I believe to be true.

Christopher

[Thomas Dean]

I was demoing at a Saltfork meeting this past weekend and the first thing I made (or should I say, botched up) was a simple leaf. I cut it off and threw it in the scrap bucket. It was not up to my standard. That being said, the people watching SAW me throw it in the bucket therefore proving that I am NOT perfect! Didn't hurt my feeling in the least. It also showed the students watching that "yes, you will make mistakes, learn from them and go on." (It AIN'T the end of the world;) )As stated in the posts above, I too, have high standards for my work. I don't even give away items that don't meet those standards. I believe it goes simply to pride in your work, no matter the work. I have had people call me an "artist", I can't tell them how to think, although I feel as I have a LONG way to go to obtain that lofty title. I am content being a student of the craft, always learning, improving, and hopefully teaching others as I go.