We need to talk about skulls …
Don’t click away!!!!!! ……..Wait!!!!!! ……
We need to talk about skulls……
Skulls get a bad rap.
They’re spooky, they’re weird, creepy, goth, death, doom, scary …
And yes.. there is this element, for sure.
However, skull imagery has existed in art and jewellery for as long as we have, in every culture in the world. And there are many many meanings behind them, some obvious.. but some a little surprising!
In medieval art, the concept of skulls .. in particular ‘Memento mori’ ( ‘remember you must die) and ‘Vanitas’ became popular as a means of encouraging people to detach from their worldly possessions and luxuries … their ‘vanity’ items so that their energy could be focused on the afterlife.
In the Victorian period, skulls in art often became associated with the new Age of Science with prominent scientists or supporters of Darwin, for example, portrayed as serious figures holding a skull.
Meanwhile, in Tibet, you can see many wonderful and colourful images of the Citipati.
The legend goes that the Citipati were a couple of ascetics (people practicing self denial as a form of spiritual discipline) who, whilst meditating were beheaded by a thief. The Citipati were so furious they vowed vengeance and are said to dwell in cemeteries where they await to capture and punish passing criminals! While they wait they dance and blow horns … a ritual you will still find reenacted by Tibetan monks twice a year!
And then of course there’s the Mexican Day of the Dead, Dia de los Muertos - where traditionally skulls made from sugar were decorated with brightly coloured paints, beads and flowers before being placed on the graves of loved ones along with food and drink. A joyous celebration of life and beloved ancestors.
You may have noticed that skulls … or at least a certain little skull, features quite a lot in our jewellery and artwork.
Our little skeleton, Roger, arrived into our world during 2020.
I was minding my own business, drawing prompts for the Inktober drawing challenge when I look down at my page and there is a little skull holding his hand up, gently fascinated by a flutter of moths ..
‘The Little Dreamer’ - Jesse
I immediately lost my heart….
Roger.
Since then Roger has booped aliens, met unicorns, laughed at Krampus, played with phantoms, gone to Canada, Vegas, California, and has a girlfriend.
He is a proper little character and has a small following of devoted folk who love him like I do.
One day, after I posted a picture of Roger on Instagram a lovely follower commented that Roger inspired them to be brave .. to ‘boop the nose’ of things that scared them. I was completely overwhelmed by this … that my little character had touched someone in this incredible way.
As humans we often assign meaning to objects to make our understanding of the world much smoother, and to create “shortcuts” in our brains to make sense of everything around us….
A realisation hit me like a bolt..
This is where Roger had come from!
He was born in a tumultuous year.. a year in which the world experienced the beginning of a global pandemic with its lockdowns and fear. A year in which Al and I learnt to navigate some huge changes to our lives, some self imposed, some not so much… A year in which seeing family and friends was either impossible or hugely challenging.. you know, you were there right?
I’m not great at change … I have worked hard in my life to create a safe space for myself. A space where I can live and work in comfort with maximum exciting challenges ( I am not afraid of challenges !!) but challenges that I am comfortable with…. So, for me, 2020 and its consequent events took some getting used to.
Enter Roger.. my little hero… booping the nose of scary things.. standing in front of me with his little bony arm outstretched and his palm raised in protection. ‘BOOP!’
Roger BOOPs Nosferatu
Roger was born out of turmoil to give me familiarity, focus and humour.
As I mentioned earlier.. skulls and skeletons have featured in art as symbols of death, vanity, wealth and status, to celebrations of life, renewal, opportunity and joy, often with an underlying message pointing to the unrelenting passage of time.
So yes, there is undeniably a macabre side to skull imagery .. it forces one to face a stark truth, a reminder of the fragility of life and the passage of time.
But…
In Buddhism, and many Eastern philosophies skull imagery can be found in dancing Citipati, in beautiful carved munda malas (bead necklaces) as well as paintings and Thankas. These skulls are not usually depicted as a warning or with the intention to evoke fear but as an inspiration, a celebration of life or of transformation.
….the idea that even at the point of death our energy is simply transformed into a different form within the universe.
In a way, instead of a full stop, or an ending as we see so often depicted in in the West, in Eastern religions death often marks a pinnacle turning point in the narrative of life, which is exactly what the skull represents in the death Tarot card.
My favourite interpretation of skull imagery comes from the buddhist concept of ‘emptiness’. That Skulls represent the emptiness of the Universe.
Everything we experience has no inherent nature in itself, instead … we are attaching meaning to our experiences.
Deep?
Here’s what I mean.. if the universe is empty, and our experiences within the universe arrive to us with no given meaning, then we have the universal opportunity to create the world around us.
To fill the emptiness with our own positive energy.
We literally get to choose how interpret every single situation we find ourselves in. Nothing is inherently bad, or good, easy or difficult, it is our interpretation that creates the ‘label’ we use to describe these things to ourselves.
This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t acknowledge tragedy or loss to bad things that happen in life.. of course, it is incredibly important to allow yourself to lean in and feel how you feel, but it also gives you permission to flip it around and re-write the situation. Let it pass and choose how to fill your universe.
For me, Roger represents my interpretation of my world. He reminds me that I have the ability and freedom to choose how I see the world, people and experiences. It is my choice how I wander through this life… with my head bowed and fearful or looking up, with grace and a huge grin.
My universe is empty and I choose to fill it with love, happiness and positivity.
This is why I love Roger so, and why he fills our jewellery and art with his cheeky little toothy grin.
‘Loved Up’ - Jesse
I leave you with a beautiful recipe for a Chai syrup given to me by a lovely friend….
Make this syrup… and make a tea…drizzle it over ice cream… or my favourite … add it to hot chocolate for a wonderfully aromatic, spicy and warming treat.
From my heart to yours…
Spicy Chai Syrup
Ingredients:
12 Green Cardamons
1 stick of cinnamon
1tsp Fennel seeds
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp Coriander seeds
1/2 tsp Black peppercorns
1/2 tsp mixed spice or allspice
2 star anise (optional …its yummy with or without)
3 tbsp fresh chopped ginger
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Method:
Preheat oven to gas mark 5
Lightly crush cardamons and black peppercorns.
Place all the dry spices on a baking tray and toast until very aromatic ( about 5 mins)
Place everything in a pan with the water and sugar, bring to the boil then turn down and simmer for 10 - 15 mins stirring constantly until you have a syrup.
Strain and bottle. Store in a cool cupboard … no need to fridge it!
Add on or two tbsp to hot milk, or hot chocolate ( or ice cream !!! )
Oh… and your house will smell insanely good…. you’re welcome !!
ENJOY! X
Let me know in the comments…. do you love skulls?? Or not so much ?? What do they represent to you?
