Pattern Seeker
Celtic Cross
The commission was to gild this Celtic cross, that had been engraved in creme marfil, a smooth white marble. It was shipped to me in wooden crating. I used an oil size and 23k gold. After I finished, it was packed and shipped to its final destination, and it was installed in the columbarium of a church.
A hand turned bowl (by Dave Dunn) still had the bark on the edges. I covered it with 23k gold.
Ornamented Wedding Invitation – Chuppah Motif
The customer asked for blush roses, with purple, silver and black accents, and the design reflects that. The layout is in the form of a chuppah, a bridal canopy. The roses are made of paper, as are the rest of the decorations.
Jordyn Hannah
The name “Hannah” means “grace”, and is shown here by a swan, the most graceful of all creatures. This expresses the hope that Jordyn Hannah will grow from a little cygnet into a lovely and graceful woman.
Beside the swans are three of the letters “yud”, superimposed on each other, and filled with waves. Jordyn’s Hebrew name begins with a yud, and means “flowing”; the great-grandparents she was named for, Yetta and Yitzhak, also began their names with a yud. May their love and shared history flow into her and help to shape her character.
Below, left, is a dreidel, for she was born in Kislev, when Hanukah occurs. It shows the lucky letter “gimmel”, which means the spinner wins all.
Beside that are Sabbath candles, for the wish that she will know Sabbath peace and comfort.
Jordyn Hannah’s Hebrew initials are “yud” and “chet”, so we have the word “chai”. This means “life”. She was also named for her great-great-grandmother Hannah, whose name is in the chet and whose love is in the yud. “Chai” also has the numeric value of 18, which has become a lucky number in Jewish tradition. November 18 is therefore an extra special day to be born.
Finally, the pomegranate is believed to have 613 seeds, representing each of the mitzvot. It symbolizes the hope that Jordyn Hannah will lead a full Jewish life, with many blessings and great abundance.
quilling, cut paper, 8 x 8
Elan
This baby’s name is Elan, which in Hebrew means “oak” and also “strength”. The design features a sturdy oak, surrounded by its flowers and fruits. The lettering is in gouache, and the rest is quilling and cut paper. 8 x 10.
