Yesterday I mentioned the fact that I have been experimenting with some glass colors that are new to me. I showed pictures of beads that I'd made with that glass. I also mentioned that these were the beads that worked out and that there were others that didn't. It's the ones that didn't turn out that I'm thinking about right now.

My studio is full of beads that didn't quite turn out. And that's okay. Of course I'm disappointed when I open the kiln and find that I'm only happy with a couple of the beads that I made the day before. A whole day of work and only two good beads? But I usually don't look at it that way. I keep the "best of the worst" on my studio counter tops as reminders. What worked? What didn't work? What part do I want to incorporate in the next bead? Sometimes they're a reminder of what I liked and sometimes they're a reminder of what not to do. I consider them to be like sketches.

I look at every "failed" bead as a lesson. That's the way I learn. I think it's an essential part of my growth as an artist. In fact, I think it's a pretty good template for life in general.