Until I decided to create this project, I had always thought that the lotus flower and the water lily were the same thing. But I was wrong! Both the leaves and the flower of the water lily sits on the water, whereas the lotus grows above water, and there are some textural differences in the leaves as well as a difference in size. In eastern cultures, the lotus flower is a symbol of purity, enlightenment, and rebirth. The lotus often grows in muddy water, and it emerges as fresh and beautiful. They open their petals with to the sun, and close up again at night.

This piece was created using the sculpting techniques of chasing and repousse. This technique utilizes only small, blunt tools and a hammer to create depth by pushing the metal from the back of the piece (repousse) and then add details and added dimension from the front (chasing). No molds, stamps or machines are used during this process, only thousands of individual hammer blows.

This sterling silver pendant is approximately 1-1/4 inches in diameter and comes on an 18-inch rolo style chain.