by lisa johnson

When I signed up for the necklace project, I wasn’t sure if I could really be considered an artist. I write and take pictures. Make bookmarks and cards. I cook and especially bake. But was that enough to be considered an artist for this project? I wasn’t sure, but I signed up anyway.

So I followed along on the wishstudio blog. Reading the stories of the women who were part of the project and admiring the beauty of each new charm.

But then I stopped seeing posts. And I hadn’t received the necklace. Had the project ended? Was it lost? Maybe I wasn’t artsy enough after all. Luckily, within days, I received a package in the mail. What could it be? I wasn’t expecting anything. At that point, the necklace didn’t even cross my mind.

I opened the package. And there it was. It took more than a year to receive, but I finally had the necklace! Often when I’m about to give up on something that I shouldn’t, the universe seems to send me a sign saying not to get discouraged.

For the charm, I repurposed parts of a ring and an earring that had broken. The pieces were too pretty to discard, so I had saved them. I knew that they could be used for something. My life has been in transition for the past couple of years. Almost more changes have happened than I can comprehend sometimes. So taking something that no longer worked, and making it new and useful again by becoming part of something bigger, resonated with me on many levels.

After finishing the charm, I started thinking about where I’d wear the necklace. I wanted to do something exciting for the post. However, as each of my plans fell apart one by one, I decided to accept that the universe seemed to have something else in store. So I gave up and just wore it around the house one day.

This necklace was a lesson in patience and acceptance. I meditated with it and contemplated all the good that was passed to me from those who wore it before. And I hope I passed on that good and lessons learned to those who will wear it after me.

“Do not concern yourself with the questions, “What is art?” or “Who is an artist?” Everything is art. If what you see and do comes from your heart, you are an artist.”

Yesterday, I found the above quote on a Flickr page. It answered my initial doubts and made me very glad that I trusted my instincts and joined this wonderful project.

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Lisa Johnson lives in Quincy, Massachusetts and blogs at Anali’s First Amendment.