The Mave (Summer and Winter)
The Story Behind The Summer Maze and The Winter Maze Bracelets: A Journey Through Contrast, Balance and Emotions
There’s something magical about gazing out of an airplane window as you soar above a sprawling metropolitan city. The way the lights and colours form a dazzling mosaic below is both mesmerizing and inspiring. While reminiscing these moments of awe, the idea for The Summer Maze and The Winter Maze bracelets came to my mind. These pieces are a continuance of my earlier work, The Maze, and are deeply rooted in my love for geometric patterns and lines that invoke some contrasting emotions and the beauty of balance.
The Summer Maze: A Celebration of Light and Joy
For me, the "Summer Maze" bracelet truly captures the vibrant and warm spirit of summer. When I think of summer, I imagine myself sitting by the window on a Sunday morning, sipping a cappuccino as the sunlight and the gentle winds slowly kiss my face. The world outside is bathed in a golden glow, filling the day with warmth, happiness, and that special light that makes everything feel so alive. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and savour the warmth of the morning sun, letting it fill me with a sense of peace and contentment.
The Winter Maze: Embracing Calm and Contrast
On the other hand, The Winter Maze bracelet captures the quieter, more introspective side of life. I have always believed that winter brings a different beauty with its peaceful, calming aura. The colours in this bracelet are more muted yet striking, reflecting the calm, sometimes chaotic atmosphere of a city blanketed in snow or lit up against a dark, starry sky. Do you know what is also good in winter? Sitting on a sofa while sipping a Hot Chocolate and reading. Oh yes, what a blessing! For me, winter is always a symbol of reflection, stillness, and, sometimes, the melancholy that comes with the end of a year. But it’s also a time of quiet beauty, where every moment feels a little more profound, every light a little more precious.
The Creative Process: Music as a Muse
When designing ‘The Summer Mave’, I immersed myself in the lively and passionate notes of Vivaldi's *The Four Seasons* – the 'Summer' movement. The music filled me with energy and joy, inspiring me to create a piece that radiates happiness and vibrancy. This creation is a celebration of life, full of bright colours and bold design that captures the essence of a sun-soaked day.
In contrast, while working on ‘The Winter Maze’, I turned to Vivaldi’s 'Winter' symphony. The music’s calm and peaceful tones influenced the design, guiding me to create a bracelet that embodies the quiet beauty and serenity of winter. This piece is all about finding peace in the stillness with a design that’s both introspective and elegant.
Yin and Yang: The Balance of Life
The names Summer Maze and Winter Maze were chosen because summer and winter represent two sides of the same coin, much like Yin and Yang. While they are in stark contrast to each other, they also complement one another perfectly. Summer’s brightness and energy need winter’s calm and introspection to create balance, just as we need happiness to appreciate sadness and sadness to understand happiness.
Life is a maze of emotions—sometimes, we find ourselves in the light, and other times we navigate the dark. Both emotions are essential; they make us human. The interplay between light and dark, joy and melancholy, is what gives life its depth and meaning. The Summer Maze and The Winter Maze bracelets were created to reflect this balance, capturing the essence of both seasons and the emotions they evoke.
An Artistic Tribute to Piet Mondrian
As a hobbyist painter and an admirer of Piet Mondrian's artworks, his use of geometric patterns and bold colours has greatly influenced my own artistic style. The Summer Maze and The Winter Maze are both tributes to Mondrian’s ability to convey balance and contrast through simple yet powerful designs. In these bracelets, you’ll find the same emphasis on geometry and colour, creating a visual representation of the balance between light and dark, summer and winter, happiness and sadness.
Mondrian’s works have had a profound impact on me, and I often find myself drawn to his use of solid, bold colours. For me, colours are more than just a visual experience – they evoke strong emotions. When I’m feeling down, hopeless and sorrowful, I crave the calming presence of dark blue. When joyful, I’m drawn to the warmth of red and orange. These colours heal me, offering comfort and solace, much like the geometric shapes and lines that bring a sense of order to my thoughts.
A Limited, One-of-a-Kind Collection
Like all my work, The Summer Maze and The Winter Maze are part of a limited collection. These pieces are truly one-of-a-kind and cannot be replicated. They reflect a specific moment in time, a snapshot of the emotions and inspirations that guided my hands as I crafted them. If you find yourself drawn to these bracelets, know that you are holding a piece of art that is as unique as the journey that inspired it.
————-
Thank you for taking the time to explore the story behind The Summer Maze and The Winter Maze. These bracelets are more than just jewellery—they are symbols of life’s balance, the beauty of contrast, and the power of emotions. I invite you to experience this journey with me and find your own connection to these pieces.
The balance in contradiction
Rafika Weiss