The Xarata Project

When I left college, I realized what many of today's young people do: LIFE DOESN'T ALWAYS GO AS PLANNED!!!... in capital letters...with exclamation points... I fell back into waitressing- a trusty albeit loathsome way to pay the bills that asks absolutely nothing of myself- and certainly offers no challenges (unless you count smiling sweetly at some of the most unpleasant people ever to eat out when you would really love to just give them a piece of your mind before smacking them upside the head- trust me, your server has more will power in their little finger than you will ever know). When I packed up my life and moved five times in one year, I packed away my dreams alongside the sewing needles and jeweler's saws, put a lid on them the way I sealed away boxes of glittering gemstones full of unrealized possibilities. I touched them again only once... for my wedding... and sealed them off again as we tried to make ends meet...

A week ago, I watched the movie Julie & Julia featuring the Julie/Julia Project by Julie Powell in which she takes something she loves (cooking) and redefines her life by giving herself a goal- to cook her way through Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year. At some point during the movie, I picked up a pencil and a clipboard and began drawing. When the movie was over, the pliers were in my hand and there was no going back.

And so begins the Xarata project. "Xarata" was the pseudonym I developed as a child as the star of every adventure of the imagination; she was a sorceress and a warrior, an elven princess and a rogue- intelligent, beautiful, and fearless- representive of everything that is creative in me and a guide that would lead my imagination as far as I dared let it roam. The Xarata Project is a quest to release the creative heroine that I know still lives through me.

So here is the goal: ONE PIECE PER WEEK FOR ONE YEAR. 52 pieces...enough for an online shop...enough for consignment...enough for a kiosk at an artshow...enough to remind myself that there was something I wanted to do with my life because it made me happy.

I am not limiting myself to the type of piece- only that there be a new piece each week. Jewelry, hairpieces, clothing, sculpture, painted glassware, mixed media- whatever I feel like making so long as I am making SOMETHING.

To remind myself what I'm capable of...