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Patricia A. Chiovarie - Hecate
Category: Sculpture.
Beneath the beaded exterior is a form crocheted with cotton thread, supported by wire and stuffed with poly-cotton batting. Techniques include: couching, applique, branching, spot-beading, peyote, square, and brick stitching. The three-faced head is made of a mirror disc, hand-made polymer clay face and hand-painted face crocheted together and beaded.
This statue represents the triple goddess Hecate. In primitive times she symbolized the three realms of heaven, earth and the sea. The yew tree is associated with her, as well as her headress of stars, for she is a moon goddess and her triple persona represents the new, full, and waxing lunar times. She was later embodied as three goddesses standing back to back with torches blazing to light the way where three roads met and as such was looked to for guidance in moments of decision.
I was a wildlife artist before switching my art medium to seed beads about ten years ago and have always had an on-going interest in ethnic art, mythology and archeology. I currently work out of a studio (Chiovarie Studio) and teach beadwork in the Seattle area. One of the classes I teach is on the topical embellishment of totem dolls, a small mirror-faced crocheted doll I designed, make and sell and from which the large "Hecate" statue evolved. I also teach my own version of sculptural or free-form peyote stitch art-to-wear as well as square-stitch techniques. The art-to-wear necklaces, completed dolls and doll kits are sold in galleries and stores in the Northwest and can also be ordered at my web site at totemdolls.com (I can also be contacted via this site).
The statue of "Hecate" resides in a place of honor in my home. I don't think I will ever sell it, it took so much to complete in time and creative energy and I don't think my callused and needle-punched thumb would forgive me if I let it go.