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| geometric Connemara marble, onyx and Sterling silver ornament |
Geometry was about the only aspect of mathematics I enjoyed as a teenager and I suspect that had more to do with aesthetics than actual maths. My father is a retired accountant and avid mathematician. My mother, however, is very much an artist, who has mastered multiple crafts and now in her autumnal years, has finally turned to painting. I take after both of them in many ways, but guess I know who influenced me most.
Though I tend to doodle flowers and swirly shapes, as a teen I whiled away much time practicing Celtic knots, spirals and 'plaits' and other intricate, Celtic borders.
Hardly surprising that these elements crop up in so many of my designs today. I didn't start out using Irish references in my work. It was a natural evolution once I started discovering beautiful Irish materials.
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| Cork red marble earrings with Celtic knot bead |
spiral charm on Connemara Pendant tightly wound spiral on tree ornament
The spiral is one of the most recognisable Celtic shapes, though it is not exclusive to this ancient culture. It shows up in various parts of the globe including Africa and South America. It is believed that for the Celts, the spiral may have represented infinity, the circle of life or even afterlife.
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| loose spiral |
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| Spiral & squiggle wire work |
I find it most relaxing to form a spiral out of wire. If I've hit one of those creative blocks, where nothing inspires me, I wind and hammer spiral charms and swirly hooks to use later. I guess it's akin to taking a few stretches or taking a short walk when you can't motivate yourself to launch into strenuous exercises.
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| wire wrapped pendant with triple spiral |
Spirals are found frequently in modern, wire-wrapped jewellery all over the globe. They are aesthetically pleasing and an alternative way to 'finish off' the wire ends neatly rather than flattening them around the base of the bail. The triple spiral in this wire-wrapped pendant was a slightly more complicated spin on that concept.
In part 2 I will be comparing the 6 pointed hexagram (above) versus a five point star for Christmas ornaments. Which is the 'correct' shape? Do please pop back on Tuesday to read more.
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