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I’ve been working on a Japanese landscape influenced pendant with the red jasper I showed here. Jean Marie Ward saw it on laurieopal and commissioned the pendant.
We had along conversation about it, and decided on the Japanese landscape influenced design. It has a mountain on one side with a tiny tree near the top, and a waterfall flowing from the mountain top down the other side of the stone.
We also talked about Kami: “In Shinto, Kami are not separate from nature, but are of nature, possessing positive and negative, and good and evil characteristics. They are manifestations of musubi (結び), the interconnecting energy of the universe, and are considered exemplary of what humanity should strive towards. Kami are believed to be "hidden" from this world, and inhabit a complementary existence that mirrors our own: shinkai (神界, "the world of the Kami"). To be in harmony with the awe-inspiring aspects of nature is to be conscious of kannagara no michi (随神の道 or 惟神の道, "the way of the Kami).“ - Wikipedia
After talking with her last night about possible Kami, I am going to put a hint of an Akkorokamui in the waterfall. It is a gigantic octopus-like creature from Ainu mythology. In Shinto it is believed to have healing powers, although it is also complicated and sometimes negative.
The carving, except for the octopus, is mostly done, so that is the next thing I will be working on.
I have loved Japanese netsuke for much of my life, and they have always been an important influence on my work.
We had along conversation about it, and decided on the Japanese landscape influenced design. It has a mountain on one side with a tiny tree near the top, and a waterfall flowing from the mountain top down the other side of the stone.
We also talked about Kami: “In Shinto, Kami are not separate from nature, but are of nature, possessing positive and negative, and good and evil characteristics. They are manifestations of musubi (結び), the interconnecting energy of the universe, and are considered exemplary of what humanity should strive towards. Kami are believed to be "hidden" from this world, and inhabit a complementary existence that mirrors our own: shinkai (神界, "the world of the Kami"). To be in harmony with the awe-inspiring aspects of nature is to be conscious of kannagara no michi (随神の道 or 惟神の道, "the way of the Kami).“ - Wikipedia
After talking with her last night about possible Kami, I am going to put a hint of an Akkorokamui in the waterfall. It is a gigantic octopus-like creature from Ainu mythology. In Shinto it is believed to have healing powers, although it is also complicated and sometimes negative.
The carving, except for the octopus, is mostly done, so that is the next thing I will be working on.
I have loved Japanese netsuke for much of my life, and they have always been an important influence on my work.
