The Positive Symbolism of the Peacock – A Wedding Commission

The peacock bowl

Few months ago, I had the great pleasure of designing and realising a very special wedding gift: a Peacock Bowl. I started by creating about 11 different designs (see some examples below); after few hard decisions, the customer set on one design.

A design for the peacock plate

A design for the peacock plate

Another design for the peacock plate

Another design for the peacock plate

Before taking this commission I was wondering about what the peacock represents in the symbolistic tradition, iconography, and across cultures; so I searched for more information about positive meanings associated with the peacock.

In my searches, I discovered that this beautiful bird is a symbol of dignity and grace. In the Chinese and Buddhist cultures, the peacock represents freedom and wisdom; in other cultures it is also thought as a symbol of eternal life.
Beyond these, the peacock is also the symbol of beauty, good luck, compassion and kindness. The peacock is also often used to represent wholeness, patience and nurturing.

Detail of the selected design for the peacock plate

Detail of the selected design for the peacock plate

Detail of the design of the feathers

Detail of the design of the feathers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In some cultures this elegant bird is seen as bringing the message that there are no limits to our dreams and anything is possible if we believe and trust the universe.

I think the peacock resembles a very powerful mix of symbolism and beauty and it offers a powerful message to the newly wedded couple.

Details of the feathers in the peacock plate

Details of the feathers in the peacock plate

Details of the feathers in the peacock plate

Details of the feathers in the peacock plate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the selected design I create a kiln fused glass bowl, which was further engraved to emphasise the texture of the feathers, along with the wishes from the client that commissioned the gift.

The peacock plate

The peacock plate

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Sunrises and Sunsets in Fraser Island

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Inspired by a recent visit to Fraser Island and by some magnificent sunsets and sunrises I had the luck to see, I created a new glass and metal sculpture. The sculpture is a cube and each edge represents one of those wonderful sunrises and sunsets in Fraser. Inside the cube there is a LED light I designed. In addition to the main large cube, I have also created some smaller cubes, all in glass.

cube

The glass sculpture is currently on display and available for purchase at Sydney’s Glass Artists’ Gallery.

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Coasters for Zena’s 12th birthday

Ready for shipping!

Zena, the beloved pharaoh hound of my dearest friend Maureen Cahill, owner of the Glass Artists’ Gallery in Glebe (Australia’s foremost contemporary glass gallery), has turned twelve. To celebrate Maureen commissioned me to design and create some celebratory glass coasters for Zena to give to her personal friends.

The coasters to celebrate Zena's 12th birthday.

The coasters to celebrate Zena’s 12th birthday.

I created two designs – one with Zena’s profile and the other picturing Zena in her famous sphinx pose (see Zena’s picture below, taken few years ago). The glass coasters have been created with coloured glass powders and fused in the kiln. Afterwards, the coasters have been engraved to highlight Zena’s profile and Zena’s name has been sandblasted on the glass.

Zena in her famous regal pose; image by Jill Carter-Hansen.

Zena in her famous regal pose; image by Jill Carter-Hansen.

And below, my studio assistant Darra gives his seal of approval on the consignment.

Darra gives his seal of approval.

Darra gives his seal of approval.

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Queensland Resource Council Awards

I was pleased to be contacted by the Queensland Resources Council to created a series of gifts for their Resources Awards for Women awards, ahead of the QRC/WIMARQ International Women’s Day Breakfast event. The commission of 6 bowls was based on my kiln-formed open plates series (plates from this series were also commissioned by the Queensland Government in 2014 for gifting some G20 representatives, see my previous blog post). The new plates for this award had to capture the colours of Queensland’s soil and geological resources, as well as violet, the colours symbols of the suffragettes movement.

One of the plates created for the Queensland Resources Council.

One of the plates created for the Queensland Resources Council.

The breakfast was held on May 8, 2016 when the trophies were presented to all the winners (congratulations from Glass Artistry). In the photo gallery below you can see few more images of some of the plates and the winners.

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