Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Artistic Inspiration

Inspiration comes from many places and it varies from artist to artist. I am inspired by textures for my pottery, colors for my paintings, the stones themselves for my jewelry, or even the desires of one of my customers!

I gain inspiration from the different artist groups I belong to, as well. One recent challenge had me creating a Hamsa. Also known as the Hand of Fatima, the Eye of Fatima, or the Hand of Miriam, it is a symbol used to protect against the evil eye. The word itself, in Hebrew and Arabic, literally means "five" - some associate the significance of the five fingers to the five books of the Torah for Jews, the Five Pillars of Islam for Sunnis, or the five People of the Cloak for Shi'ites. In Jewish culture you can find it incorporated in wall plaques, mobiles, keychains and necklaces. Sometimes they are inscribed with Hebrew prayers for the home or travelers.


I decided to take a random idea of wire, pewter charms, and glass beads and make it a reality in a 6 inch wall hanging. This is the first time I have ever created something like this and I had a fabulous time! I am happy to create one just for you - I welcome custom orders! Simply drop me a line at stacirosedesigns@yahoo.com or request a custom order through my etsy shop at http://stacirose.etsy.com!

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