Olive Branch Ring
For the International Day of Peace, which was yesterday, Evelyn suggested that we could make a peace ring. I chose the olive branch as a classic and timeless symbol of peace and made the ring that is pictured above.
There’s an interesting story on how the olive branch became a symbol of peace. From Wikipedia:
“In Greek mythology, Zeus was to bestow the newly created city of Athens to the god who provided the most useful gift to humanity. Poseidon cast down a bolt which brought forth from the ground a spring. Athena created the olive tree, and subsequently won. Olive wreaths were worn by brides and awarded to olympic victors.
The symbolism of the olive branch was carried on to Ancient Rome, where a defeated army would carry olive branches as a gesture of peace.”
I like it that this ring is adjustable: on one side of the wire, I cut and soldered three sterling silver leaves. I wanted to leave them plain, only with the subtle texture of the satin finish. On the other side I made a tube setting for a 3mm peridot cabochon.
A friend who saw the ring suggested that the same design could work as a bracelet and also as a neckpiece. I think I wil try the bracelet first!
As I was googling for peace and war related symbols, I stumbled upon this phrase that I liked: “Make Art Not War”. So today, I decide to make a second ring for Ring-a-Day, by incorporating this phrase. I painted and sketched on a piece of watercolor paper and made this little sign:
Check out the rings that Evelyn, Tomi and Lesley have made for the International Day of Peace. Each one of them is unique in its own way.
