A Lesson That I Have Learned

I just finished a custom order and have learned a few things along the way. I love it and I hate it. Let me explain a bit.

First, let me say that I am proud of my custom piece. It is exactly what she wanted and I was thrilled to be able to do it for her. A custom order that is an original idea that has come from a conversation with the buyer about their likes, dislikes, what they want and don't want can be an inspiring challenge. Through your conversation with this person, the two of us can come up with a wonderfully collaborative idea. But, when someone wants you to re-create something that you have already made, but in a different color...well, this is when my perfectionist monster takes over. I have realized that the first piece, in my mind, was perfect. So, trying to recreate that certain look, that feeling, and overall sense of "Wow!" is quite hard to do. The feeling that you get when you have created something that is so great and gives you such a sense of fulfillment, that feeling doesn't come around that often. I had to do some soul searching and ask myself some very important questions. Seriously, can you imagine Michelangelo finishing the Sistine Chapel, stepping back to admire his masterpiece when Pope Julius II says, "Hey, you know, it looks great. I love what you did over there with Adam. Do you think that you could do it again, but this time, a little smaller and in black and white?" I mean really. Okay, so maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but you get my point. So, I have decided a few things. One, because I am a people pleaser, I will continue to take custom orders. And, two, I will not tie myself down to the notion that I am merely trying to copy something, but rather I am just expanding on an originally good idea.