Pain and Pleasure

Artist-made glass with copper and true verdigris copper chimes. For more information on this piece, or to buy it, CLICK here.


When an email comes announcing a sale, I feel mixed emotions. First, happiness. Then some sadness.

It's wonderful so many people like what I make, and it's great when something sells~ no doubt about that! But then I realize I have to pack the sold work, and that's a job in itself: packing glass to survive the postal service is tricky. Then I recall the labor that went into the piece. Some are more work than others, but they are all hard work. In the winter, it's cold and usually wet. Most of my work is done outside, without heat, and sometimes without a roof. In the summer, it's hot, and there are mosquitoes.

A wind chime like the one I am featuring today has so many steps needed to complete it. And when it sells, I remember all those steps. And then I pack and ship, and it's kind of sad to say good-bye. And the price seems low.

But often a week or so after shipping, I get an email from a thrilled customer. An email that shouts joy. And this beyond anything else is what makes it all worthwhile. To create something that makes someone happy, something that will last for years and brighten someone's days~ now that's pleasure!