It has been about 6 months since my 7 year old son started taking guitar lessons. He had been asking for months and having had my own childhood piano experiences to reflect upon I was a little unsure if he would be ready to take on the responsibility that comes along with lessons. It’s one thing to want to play an instrument, and something completely different to want to take the steps to master it.  Is it a first born child thing? That desire and expectation to always be good at something without effort? That fear of failure that makes one tentative to even try something new? I warned and explained the importance of practice, the commitment it entailed and prodded him to understand that he had a long way to go to be the guitar master he already saw himself to be. Seven year olds seem to think they know it all. After interviewing several teachers, we chose the one that my son clicked with immediately, Cody Nyman of Decode Music and our musical journey began.

For the most part, this new commitment has gone surprisingly smooth.   I’ve been impressed by his commitment and willingness to spend the time required to practice his exercises without a lot of prompting and nagging….which I am trying my best to keep at bay. This is his decision and his consequence of not practicing is a poor showing at his lesson. I try to remind him of that, and that’s it. It’s between him and Cody. Every once in a while we’ll hit a rough patch and I will remind him to talk to his teacher, maybe prompt him during his lesson, which I attend on the fringe in our kitchen, to discuss his concerns and distractions that are keeping him from practicing. The better he can learn to communicate with his adult mentor the better he’ll be able to understand the expectations and trust him to see his way to the goal of mastering this instrument. In turn Cody responds with a new challenge to keep my young son engaged, a new rock song to play along with, a game or a technical correction that improves his chance for success. He usually comes away from his lesson beaming, with a renewed commitment to his craft.

When Cody announced the Decode Music Winter Concert was coming up and gave my son a song to prepare I was a little nervous myself and as the date drew near I could see the fear welling up in my boy.  He dodged practice time with excuses and expressed his desire to quit guitar. The fear would show through angry remarks and brief bitter sessions with his instrument. It was trying as a parent to flesh out the real reason for such a sudden turn in attitude but as the date neared it became obvious that the unknowns of this event were really getting to him. It is amazing how fear can turn a good experience on it’s head.  Unfortunately it’s true that something we love can be turned into a stressful chore by the addition of worry and tension and discomfort.

Well the concert was Sunday. My boy was excited to go SEE the concert stating, “I’m not going to play, I’m just going to see what it’s like” repeatedly. I tried soothing him with my own music recital flubs, reassuring him that perfection wasn’t expected, that the others were learning too, and that the world wouldn’t end if he made a mistake. He told me not to pack his guitar since he wouldn’t need it. I even struggled with whether I should call his teacher to tell him to take my boy out of the line up. My only assurance  that he MIGHT perform was a tiny slip when I asked which colour pick he would play with. His answer “red” was a giveaway that there was a glimmer of hope he would go through with it. As we stepped through the doors to the hall, he saw his teacher Cody, the drums and music stands set up, the other students tuning their guitars and parents finding their seats and I could see the anxiety melting away.  He found his name in the program, giggled and he was ready. ( I on the otherhand was so nervous I could have puked!) After enjoying the expertly executed songs of  a few young students it was his turn for the spotlight. My son picked through his song with his teacher’s encouraging accompaniment confidently and stood up at the end beaming with pride.  In the end it wasn’t the perfection or quality of the performance that made us so proud but the fact that he summoned the courage to perform. It is clear to me that the value in the music lessons is the life lessons learned.

Fine Silver Monogrammed Guitar Pick for completion of his first recital.

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Heather McNair Horsey www.swaysilver.ca

If by chance we’ve met, I may have asked you a little about yourself, what you do and if you enjoy it. I ask this of almost everyone I freshly meet because I love to hear how they came to their vocation whether it be a teacher, an artist or whatever career or hobby they are pursuing at the time. It’s interesting to learn how an interest developed from a young age or how an opportunity came from out of the blue or how new circumstances pivoted someone to a completely new direction in life! I want to know if they are satisfied in their job, fulfilled and happy. Perhaps I was just being curious, but up until a few years ago a part of me wondered if by asking all the right people about all the possible job descriptions out there if there might be something out there suited to me!

Heart pendant "Married"

I suffered for most of my 20s (ok I’ll admit most of my 30s too) with the I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up syndrome. Oh, don’t think I didn’t launch from my parent’s cozy nest! I was out of there as soon as I had that B.A. Fine Arts in my hand. I was never one to think of catching up on soaps on my parent’s couch until I was 30. I just really didn’t know what I wanted to BE. So I found a creative job or two and worked away making just enough to survive, not quite enough to travel to see the world, but enough to pay the rent, drive and eat and take a jewellery making class from Louise Jarvis a local silversmith. After a few years I found myself travelling the U.S. as a design representative for a textile art company on commission…creative with plenty of free time to explore the North Eastern States. On those trips I had the rare chance to explore museums, galleries, artisan shops and bead shops (beading was an obsession I developed as a late teen) wherever I went. It really was the best part of the job except for meeting and designing for the clients who offered me rich stories and divine spaces to design for.

Twig Skipping Stone Labradourite Necklace (Sold)

All the traveling alone became tiresome, I was away as much as I was home and that takes a toll and makes it hard to have stability no matter how good the pay cheque. So with a very specialized skill set what was I to do? I could have gone back to the world of retail display that had sustained me in my early career or I could take a chance and pursue the one thing that filled my head and kept my hands busy whenever I had the chance – jewellery making. Entrepreneurship was calling me. To be completely honest it was at the same point in time that I met my adoring husband who supported my decision with encouragement and financial backing,  IT know-how and a lot of strengths that balance my creative mind. I used to feel complete and utter guilt  over this until it occurred to me that there isn’t an artist gracing the pages of art history books that hasn’t had some form of benefactor whether it was church or state, a wealthy bloodline or a savvy art dealer with the right connections. And now, I am holding my own.

Twig charm catcher with my personal charms. Cross, Birds, A leaf and round W charms.

As the story goes, along the path there have been ups and downs, struggles and victories as I wrestled with doubts,  practiced my soldering and cutting skills, sought a personal style, pondered pricing formulas business models and carved out time while raising two little boys to devote to creativity. (Which seems frivolous at times until one realizes that as a creative I’m a like a fish without water when I set my art aside for long.) There have been carrots dangled, promising better pay, security, benefits, ladders to climb,  fountains of validation and someone else to do the books. Sometimes I took those opportunities but after awhile I’ve always been drawn back to my jewellery work bench feeling more empowered that this was the right path for me all along. Jewellery making provides me with opportunities to explore stories with design that I’m just barely scratching the surface of. It offers chances for me to study and grow. It provides me a link to connect with people and create pieces that speak to them of memories, loved ones and moments. It allows me to guide others to explore their personal creativity and unlock the power of art in their lives. Let the naysayers “nay”, there have been plenty of critics….I know where I am going!  It is a daily discipline, a constant in my life  a lot more work than most people realize, and at this time and place my studio is where I am meant to be. So the journey continues.

peridot and leather bracelet (Sold) www.swaysilver.ca

You can find my lines of creative jewellery at Strata Gallery in Elora, Renann Isaacs Contemporary Art in Guelph or Cambridge Centre for the Arts. For fingerprint jewellery or commissions contact me via email heather@swaysilver.ca

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I’ve had a fabulous 2011 capturing your memories in metal! From fingerprint jewellery to fabulous unique design ideas, it’s all been fun and challenging.  Now that the ordering deadlines for Christmas have passed I’m busy working away at getting all of your orders done in time for you to have your gifts under the tree with plenty of time to spare.  It truly has been an incredibly busy time!  Thank you!

FIY: All current orders will be shipped express post as soon they are ready,  no later than Dec 20th.

Sway Silver is closed to new orders for the month of December and will open again for business January 10 2012.  

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!  

Heather McNair Horsey  

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Last year Pamper Me Senseless hosted nearly 700 women!

After my recent rant about the giant, cancer,I decided ranting just wasn’t enough. I’ve decided to take some action to help the Cancer Society of Waterloo Region and be a vendor at the Pamper Me Senseless Gala a popular annual fundraiser in it’s 5th year held at Bingemans.  I don’t do many shows, this cause is important and it sounds like a lot of fun too.  As the name implies, it will be a day of fun, relaxation and a celebration of everything feminine, as friends make memories together over shopping, lunch, a fashion show and the antics of a witty and wise keynote speaker. With a silent and live auction to outbid your neighbour on and gift bags stocked by local businesses and well known cosmetic companies for all in attendance (valued at $100) and firefighters to help with the affair it’s sure to be a fabulous day and for a fabulous cause, research for women’s cancers.

Sunday November 13th 2011

Doors Open 9:30 till 4:00

Bingemans Conference Center, Kitchener

Tickets $75, includes full day and lunch

Call now for tickets:

Phone: (519) 886-8888

  or email Wendy Thaler  wen1955@hotmail.com

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• Sterling Silver necklace with photo pendant
• Sterling Silver bracelet with photo pendant
• Silver plated Photo Key Ring

Our early bird booking special ends October 31st. Catch all the details and book at the Hula Hoop Photography web site.

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Fine Silver Fingerprint Pebble

There is likely not a single person in North America that can claim not to have felt the effects of cancer. It is sad but true. In the past 18 months alone 6 people I have known have died of cancer around the age of 40. Several others I know of the same age are fighting against this gripping disease. I AM THE SAME AGE. It is more than concerning and as a Mom of young boys it is really scary. Others still, some younger and some older than I, are receiving treatments hopeful for recovery or living out their last days – saying their goodbyes to spouses, children, parents and friends.

The art that I make is personal. Each piece of jewellery is crafted with a memory in mind and when I started to transfer my love of making jewellery into personalized pieces using fingerprints, I had no idea what impact it would have on people.  I have a hand in celebrating the lives of people; mostly the lives of children and the sentiments of Mothers.  I capture young fingerprints full of playful vigor, hope, and innocence and potential. Some just barely show the whorls of their unique print some so new that they show up as merely a precious tiny dimple in the silver. I capture the adult fingerprints of those fresh in love and promising their commitment. Others impressions are of friends that will be moving a distance and want a part to feel close always. In the range of reasons to capture a memory in silver, I did not expect that I would also be asked to celebrate young lives that are ending. I did not expect that I’d be making silver pieces that are providing comfort to people in their last days with the fingerprints of the ones they love so they can take it with them to eternity. It is an honour to fill these requests and it breaks my heart every time this kind of request comes. It often brings me to tears.

While there are lots of jewellery forms to place a fingerprint on, a pendant or charm for example, I have been asked more often lately if I can put fingerprints on a stone shape. I wondered, “why a stone?” I researched it and found that the action of rubbing a stone is naturally calming and in some traditions it is used in healing and relaxation. The silver stones that I have made are the size and smooth shape of beach pebbles the kind just right for skipping on the surface of water. Just like the ones that I frequently find in my boys’ pockets on wash day. (Or in the bottom of the dryer if I miss them.)  A timeless nature hewn shape, made to fit comfortably in the palm of one’s hand. It is a special token someone can rub their fingers over to feel the unique impressions of the ones that love him while he or she is in treatment.  It can be turned over to read the cherished names in a moment of reflection. A stone is a form that is warming comfort, and fits in a pocket.  A stone is a token that can go discretely with him.

*******

While I like the idea of comfort and calm and peace, the anger that I have at the loss of so many of my young classmates due to cancer makes me think of another use for a stone that I’ve read about – a weapon.  Every person that I know that is faced with cancer is putting up a tenacious fight. The medical teams, families and friends involved are rallying to support each one in their care. They fight for their lives and they fight for a cure. These days we think of other much more modern weaponry as means of destruction,  however, if you read 1 Samuel 17:40 it was not a gun or bomb that young David used to strike down Goliath in the Old Testament Bible account.  It was a smooth stone from a brook that David had put in his shepherd’s bag ready to use with his slingshot. While faced with fear and uncertainty and feeling small and helpless in the face of what seems like a giant disease, I pray, that these silver stones  I make not only provide comfort and peace to each person who holds one, but also gives courage, strength and FIGHT!!!!! After all, it was a simple stone that took down the giant.

Fine Silver Fingerprint Pebble

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Petal hoop earrings

Petal Charm Bracelet White Agate and Sterling Silver

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Above painting of our current home by oil painter Karin Rabuka.  If you are in the Ottawa area this summer check out her show at the Dale Smith Gallery.

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