Among the artists who imbue their artwork with many of the characteristics of the Art Deco style, Lara Kozlova is definitely one of the masters.
Taking a closer look at Lara's favorite brooch - The Scorpion Warrior - our eyes are inevitably drawn by the geometric angular shapes, the abstract design, and the addition of precious stones and crystals. This piece of jewelry is defined by sharp angles and intricate filigree emphasized with garnets, amethysts, and Swarovski Crystals.
Scorpions are a symbol of both power and destruction and are one of the most feared creatures in the world. The scorpion has been used as a spiritual representation throughout history and it may represent stubbornness or persistence but also determination, leadership, passion, and vitality.
We asked Lara to share with us the story of this beautiful piece of jewelry along with what it was inspired by. “In ancient Egypt,” she started her tale, “the goddess Selket, daughter of the sun god Ra, was considered as the mistress of scorpions. She was depicted with the head of a scorpion or with a human head on which the Scorpion sat. Together with the goddesses Neith, Isis, and Nephthys, they guarded the body of Osiris when he was killed by Seth.
Therefore, four of them were depicted on the covers of sarcophagi and vessels. And Isis herself, when she traveled through Egypt in search of her husband Osiris, was accompanied by seven scorpions as a guard. Each had a name. And the first Egyptian king was the Scorpion king, who is mentioned in the Book of the Dead. The Egyptians still use scorpion figurines as a protective amulet.”
The scorpion depicted in this artwork is dressed in golden armor, covered with ancient protective runes. When Lara decided to create the brooch, her aim was to emphasize the creature’s strength and cunning. “All the usual options have already been created by different artists and were not interesting to me,” she recalls. “I happened to look at a picture of a Scorpion in Egyptian armor and I decided that I would like to create such a Scorpion! I drew a sketch and I started sculpting this beautiful, fighting arachnid!”
The first step in creating the brooch was to make a drawing. The second was to create a 3D model of the scorpion. “To give volume to the claws and make the tip of the tail in the shape of a pharaoh's head it was necessary to come up with something,” mentions the artist. “Inside this brooch, there is a metal frame made of twisted wire,” she continues the description of the creating process. “First you have to make a scorpion skeleton, then cover it with clay in one layer and bake. Then you create a larger volume with clay and decorate how it should look. At the end of all manipulations, you cover the product with varnish and that's it. The brooch is ready!”
Sounds really easy, right? Will you give it a try?
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