Interview with:Susan Reeves [moondogtreasures]
CREATIVITY
 | How and why did you begin to be creative? I created Yoga Jewelry by Moondog Treasures 5 years ago out of my desire to merge two of my favorite things: yoga and art. My jewelry includes mala bracelets, thai silver pendants on beaded strands, soldered pieces, stamped pieces, and jewelry made from PMC (precious metal clay). |
| Your mind is your work tool. How do you take care of it? I have a regular yoga and meditation practice. Meditating helps me to find clarity. |
| How do you avoid repeating yourself, or falling into formula? How do you stay fresh? I'm inspired by nature, which is always creative and ever-changing. |
| Do you have a ritual like retiring to a lonely place from time to time to cleanse your mind? My ritual is my meditation. Sometimes it's easy to focus and be quiet. Other times I have to be patient. |
| What cultural sources do you draw from the most? The ancient, beautiful language of Sanskrit |
| Who have your teachers been? I look up to my yoga teacher, Shiva Rea, and I'm drawn to the meditation techniques of Sally Kempton. I have taken a few jewelry-making classes, but find that most of my motivation comes from life experience. |
| Have you ever had a job that was so stimulating that you could not get your mind off of it? Yes, teaching Spanish at a university. I absolutely loved it. I looked forward to Monday mornings and the day after vacations. That's a good job to have. |
| "To give birth to ideas." Is this only an expression, or are there really parallels between giving birth and creativity? Definite parallels. Creating can be a painful process, but there is such pride and gratitude with the result. I feel the same way about writing. |
| Does spirituality contribute to your creativity? Definitely. I'm a Roman Catholic and I feel a devotion to God through this faith. I also find a connection to my spirituality when I practice yoga, dance, and meditate. |
| It is possible to fall in love with a bad idea simply because it is yours. How do you avoid this? Yes. Sometimes it can be hard to let go of something, even if it isn't working for you. I usually hang onto it for way too long!! There comes a point when I'm ready to let go and move on. |
| Declaration: With what person or business would you like to work? I love working with other yoga studios to create jewelry that expresses their passion. I love learning from other jewelry artists. I would enjoy working with some accomplished metal clay artists, but the classes are very expensive. |
| What criteria do you use when selecting someone to be a part of your creative team? Personal integrity, work ethic, ability to go with the flow. |
| The armchair psychologist: Is creativity an act of rebellion for you? Probably. I'm not the best 9-5 employee. I enjoy being able to work when I want, to rest when I want, to play when I want. |
| Do you work well under pressure? Yes, but I don't enjoy it. It makes me anxious. I prefer to let the creativity arise naturally, then I work like crazy. |
| What city in the world currently attracts you due to its creative environment? Paris. I went there last summer for a week. I would love to spend an entire year there, just strolling. The people are intriguing, the art is abundant, the food is delicious, just the environment - I couldn't get enough. |
| How is an idea sold? There has to be a lot of marketing involved. I'm new to that. It's a learning process. The internet and social media play a huge part. |
| What do you feel when, after two or three years, you see an idea of yours again? Imitation is flattery, but I do get upset to see something of mine blatantly copied. It helps me to remember that my work has my personal creative stamp on it because it is mine. I stay focused on my own work. |
| You are as good as your last idea. Wouldn't you like to have a more secure type of work? I love the challenge of discovering and creating the next project or idea. Love it. |
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3353 visits Whohub
Susan Reeves
Highland Village TX USA
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