Meet Carly Waters

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carly Waters. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carly below.

Carly, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

Creativity is the stored honey of the soul . . .

For me, creativity comes in waves, quite literally. I have always had respect and deep appreciation for nature. Big Sur, the cliffs, the ocean, the solitude, it shaped me, and helped me to take the journey inward to my creativity. I realized that growing up with the backdrop of both a mountainscape and a seascape is not everyone’s experience. And so, since moving to Big Sur as a kid, this place really shaped me, what I feel is important, and how I aspire to live. I’m like, wow, growing up near a huge body of water really influenced me. I mean, my nearest friend was a two-hour walk down my road. So it was just me, my siblings, the beach, and all the ways to create. We even went without electricity for a number of years.

In a similar fashion, I am deeply inspired by all of the parallels of the universe, be them grande or minutiae. Nature’s artistry manifests itself in a myriad of forms, revealing patterns that resonate across entities. I feel the human iris mirrors a cosmic nebula. I will see parallels of the human finger print to the age rings of a tree. For my art, this is pertinent. I will see a sparkling, confetti universe inside a small, halved geode; a swirling, topographic sea of pastels and teals in an iridescent abalone shell. My newest favorite, saturn chalcedony, sourced from Uruguay- has these horizontal layers, and in the muted blues and teals, closely mirrors a seascape. I showed my brother Jacob this new gem, and he said “that looks like Carmel beach” – I love that.

I like to nurture the creative sparks in other ways, and keeping a journal art book is something that can definitely get the creative juices flowing. Journaling is an act I took on at the age of fourteen, and something I never really gave up. Someone once told me, later in life, you will only remember the really good/bad things, the rest dissipates. That resonated with me, and I started journaling consistently as a teenager. If I have an idea, I write or sketch it down. I write out my wishes, I sketch my ideas. It has been a great tool to conjure creativity when I am otherwise feeling dry.

Another way to source inspiration is to literally go out and be inspired. I love to visit the rock and gem shows, this is a great way to make new discoveries of what the earth supplies and from what region. I have found inspiration at museums, looking at jewelry from early historic eras, and seeing how the aesthetic and materials can be relevant in modern times. One can always find creative inspiration from visual stimuli, whether it is magazines, Pinterest, or any other platform.

Create space to “be” and clarity emerges for you to see. -Gabriella Goddard

As a creative, I find it hard to keep the creative spark when I have so much visual chatter. I find it crucial to keep my space simple and orderly. I also feel the same way about responsibilities, I feel the inspiration comes after I do the things necessary for survival, like running errands, paying bills. After the necessities are done and in order, the the creativity can flow freely.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I started my jewelry company six or seven years ago. I had been feeling very inspired by gems, and wanted to tie it into my art for commerce idea. I had been tumbling rocks and making jewelry from a young age. I was so fascinated so why not turn it into a business. I am proud to say, seven years later, we have not lost our vision to provide the most unique and fascinating gems we can find. We are still small-batch and greatly appreciate every single client. As we grow, we will keep these values.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

There were several specifics that aided in my journey of life. First of all, you must develop a sense of self introspection, develop understanding for yourself, your patterns, know what you are good at and what brings you joy. When you find what you love, use that as your compass and fill your life with it, the rest will follow.

I eventually developed a knowledge that we don’t always call the shots in life; you can think you want your life to be a certain way. Our own insight and understanding can be very limited. Maybe God’s/ the universe’s plan is more prosperous than our own, at least this has been the case for me many times. Don’t get too attached to a certain outcome or desire, learn to go with the flow of life.

Something else that has helped me, never feel bad for what you’ve gone through. Your hardships are preparing you to ascend in this world. It does not feel this way when you are in the middle of hardship. This advice is particularly useful to my generation, because the victim mentality has become so mainstream. The sooner you shift your focus to what you enjoy and are interested in, the sooner you will find contentment.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

I feel overwhelmed a lot of the time. Sometimes, it feels like my nerves are fraying. I feel it’s best to tackle the more urgent items before the other things. My planner helps keep me organized, it is good to write it all down. I also feel it’s good to cut yourself some slack and take a nice beach walk, or have a nap. Life is not a race, it is a journey, so they say.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.CarlyWatersDesigns.com
• Instagram: @CarlyWatersDesigns
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlywatersdesigns
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-waters-043834164
• Other: Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/carlywatersdesigns/
  TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@carlywatersdesigns