Why the Eye? Why the Pomegranates?

As far back as I can remember, I've always had to create. My parents always encouraged my creativity, but it was my father that would spark my imagination. We grew up in the heart of Los Angeles in the 60's and 70's. Back then there were just a handful of Armenians. I remember my mom driving us to Glendale for piano lessons after school. We had to make sure and turn right around and head back home before 6:00 p.m. because we were minorities and had to be off the streets after that time. Seriously. But we grew up proud, embracing our culture and its traditions.

One of the traditions that always intrigued me as a child, was the use of eye beads. I'd love looking in the display case at the eye beads. They were always staring back...so creepy. When babies were born, you'd pin an eye bead on them to ward off the "char atchk" or evil eye. The evil eye was defined as the jealousy that someone felt toward your good fortune. People wore a single eye bead....or a bracelet of eyes. Sometimes it wasn't even an eye bead but just a blue bead. Back then they were called "donkey beads". I have no clue why.

In 2007, I started my online jewelry business : Pomegranate & Eye. I wanted to create jewelry with eye beads, but didn't like what was out there. So I designed my own beads and have them made especially for me. They are lampworked, highly detailed, glass beads, each made by artisans. I create bracelets and necklaces with these beads, and I also work in fine silver creating my pomegranates.

The pomegranate is the symbol of Armenia. It is the symbol for abundance, prosperity, fertility and creativity. I guess I started looking into pomegranate jewelry when my brother brought back a small wooden pomegranate from Armenia. I love the shape of the pomegranate, and as kids, we would love when my medz mairig would split one open for us. Seeing that there was no fine jewelry out on the market in the shape of a pomegranate, I started working on creating them in fine silver. Each of my pomegranates is handmade and unique. I don't use molds and so no two are alike. I sculpt the pomegranate, sand, and torch fire it. The seeds are Czech glass and fuse together in the firing process. Then there's the burnishing, polishing, tumbling. It's a process, but I love it. Each pomegranate is made with love.

And then there's the little Pomegranate & Eye bead. Each of my bracelets has a little red pomegranate bead charm. This is my wish to you for an abundance of life's blessings. The little bead is shaped like a pomegranate and has an eye on it (the Pomegranate & Eye logo). So there you have it.

Wishing you a very Pomegranate Day - filled with abundance, prosperity and creativity!
Anush

You can visit my shop at www.pomegranateandeye.etsy.com
And "like" me on Facebook: Pomegranate & Eye
and follow me on Twitter: PomandEye