One of my early carvings was a mandrake holding a gourd in its lap. At the time, it was one of a series of brooches inspired by John Donne's poem "Song" that begins,

"Go and catch a falling star,
Get with child a mandrake root"

I've been thinking about that image again and decided to carve it as a bead.

The mandrake root is curious thing - neither plant nor human, that is said to shriek and struggle as it is pulled from the earth. Its root is used in spells associated with transformation and flying. In my work, I think of it as a symbol of transition and change.

In Japan the bottle gourd is emblematic of happiness and success. In China, it is a popular charm symbol since the first character of its name shares the pronunciations as the words for "protect," "blessing," and "happiness." The gourd's many seeds make its image a charm for fertility and a large family. Its shape resembles the lucky number eight so it is used as a charm for prosperity and good luck.

Combining mandrake and gourd symbolism could mean that the image represents a wish for a happy change, or a decision to embrace one. If I look at just the image and put aside symbolism, what comes to my mind is the quotation attributed to Robert Louis Stevenson, "If we are loved, we are indispensable."

Let me know what you see - I look forward to hearing your interpretations!



The bottle gourd is a lucky symbol in Japan, signifying happiness and success. A set of six gourds (there are six gourds encircling this bead) is a charm for good health since the term for the group of six gourds is a homonym for the words "disease free."



"The teeth are smiling, but is the heart?"
-- African proverb

This proverb first brought to mind the lyrics of the 1971 song "Smiling Faces Sometimes," recorded that year by Motown groups the Tempations and the Undisputed Truth.

"Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes
They don't tell the truth
Smiling faces, smiling faces tell lies"

I have fond teenage memories of looking through racks of clothing at the AmVets Thrift store, finding 1940s and 1950s clothes, humming along to this song as it played on the radio. My second thought was that sometimes the things that I think will make me happy will do the very opposite. This proverb is a reminder to me to check with my heart before rushing impulsively into something venture that sounds good, but that I haven't fully examined.