7 LITTLE FACTS ABOUT ME - #7

A lovely reader "challenged" me to reveal a bit more about my "7 little facts"... so here is fact #7! :)

7. I have a little tattoo, it's a spiral sun I designed myself!

This is my spiral sun tattoo! I love suns and spirals so much that 4 years and a half ago I got my first (and only) tattoo featuring a combined design of my beloved symbols. I love symbols, and that was kind of a symbol of new life and rebirth. Needless to say, that was a very special summer and year in my life :) Spirals are a universally widespread symbol and are present in many ancient civilizations and still widely used as a decorative motif in many cultures. Spirals often show up in my work, often combined with suns.
Ok... now I hear you asking where I have my tattoo :) ... Well, it's right behind my right shoulder :)

You can read my previous post about spirals, swirls and meanders here.

- Aegean Sun 3 -

AEGEAN RHAPSODY

Here they are, at long last... the pieces I had shown you a while ago -- now turned into rings! Cold clay, acrylic paints, glazes and varnish. Simple, minimalistic yet colorful and striking... and very Aegean! :)

CLAY CLAY CLAY!!!

The new clay pieces are now ready! This time I experimented with different paints and cold glazes... I love the results! They will become rings... Once again, a very "Aegean" collection, inspired by the colors of the Greek Islands! Dedicated to all my lovely Greek friends! :)

SUNNY!

Same rings... different LIGHT!

RINGS FROM THE SEA

About a year ago, a lovely friend from Greece had sent me these "cat's eye shells" that she personally collected on a Greek beach... I wanted to turn them into something special, reminding of the sea they came from -- now I have turned them into rings! I set them into a mix of blue, turquoise and white polymer clay recalling the colors of the Aegean Sea...

Cat's Eyes

Cat’s eye is the common name for the lid or operculum of the common sea snail Turbo smaragdus. When the snail is threatened by a predator or is exposed above the tide, it withdraws into its shell and the operculum seals the opening. After the snail has died and decomposed, the operculum falls free of the shell. They are flat and circular on one side and convex on the other.
They are widely used in Europe and the Middle East for protection against the evil eye, no doubt because they themselves resemble eyes and they are used as protective charms.
The spiral side of the cat’s eye represents development and positive energy, protecting and guarding.

I love the way the rings turned out, delicate in size and shape yet colorful and bold. One a little more blue and the other in lighter shades of turquoise.

Symbols Part 1: SPIRALS

This is my spiral sun tattoo! I love suns and spirals so much that 2 years and a half ago I got my first (and only) tattoo featuring a combined design of my beloved symbols. I love symbols, and that was kind of a symbol of new life and rebirth. Needless to say, that was a very special summer and year in my life. Spirals are a universally widespread symbol and are present in many ancient civilizations and still widely used as a decorative motif in many cultures.


Newgrange, Ireland

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Bandelier, New Mexico

The meander or meandros is the figure of a labyrinth in linear form, a kind of spiral shaped into a repeated motif. It is a typical design in Greek traditional art and jewelry.

Santorini

Meander pebble mosaic, Rhodes

For a deeper insight into the origins and symbolism of spirals, you can read this very interesting article by my friend Eleni: Symbols and Clouds: The Spiral.

Spirals often show up in my work, often combined with suns. Here is a selection of spirals in my jewelry!