The lotus blossom is a sign of awakening, rebirth, and enlightenment. I could not imagine a more appropriate project to begin my journey as a Relics & Artifacts Muse.

Right away, this gorgeous and intricate piece grabbed my attention and set my creative thoughts in motion. As I scoured writings about symbolism and significance of the lotus to ancient cultures and considered what all of this meant to me, I knew the direction in which I would take my piece. There is so much beauty in simplicity, the form and function of this intricate piece is incredible. I wanted to let it speak for itself.

In an effort to ensure the intricacies of the lotus blossom remain pure, I used natural stain finishes. I created an ombré effect for the petals as they graduate to the tip of the bloom.

Each petal is edged in gold leaf to represent enlightenment/sun which the flower emerges from the depths of the murky waters to seek.

The stand and stems are covered with oil rubbed bronze embossing powder, symbolic of strength and also chosen to accentuate the bronze Buddha statue inside.

Wooden beads are hung from the base, mimicking the stands represented on the statue inside. They are connected by means of a golden chain unifying the piece.

When opened, the lotus blossom reveals a glorious bronze Buddha statue.

I thoroughly enjoyed creating this incredible piece from the initial assembly, which can be found in my original Muse post here, to the final work of art.

Through it all, the lotus blossom has been extremely meaningful, as well as a wonderful association for the beginning of my journey with Relics & Artifacts.

NOTE: Ann has a wonderfully detailed article on how-to assemble your own Lotus

Be sure to check out The Lotus Blossom in The Shop

As well as the Deity Trio