Galaxy

Andromeda

We have been spending many a night reading Greek Mythology. We recently finished reading the myth of Perseus and of all his daring pursuits. My boys were struck by the story of Andromeda--as punishment for her mother's boasting, Andromeda was chained to rock as a sacrifice to appease a vengeful sea monster. Perseus, who happened to pass by on his return from killing the Gorgon, rescued Andromeda and married her. Her story goes silent after her marriage. My boys and I spent a night making up stories about Andromeda. My oldest thinks she became a mama and took care of everyone all while working and being a teacher. My middle child thinks she became a warrior princess who fought dragons with Perseus. My youngest isn't old enough to voice his opinion, but he was thoroughly delighted with the pictures of the sea monster who was intent on eating the poor, chained Andromeda.

This Girasol is my interpretation of the Andromeda story. The black spaces represent the gaps in her story: those dark absences that have been forgotten by myth and history. The bright stripes of blue, green, and purple represent youth, freshness, and adventure. I would like to think that Andromeda went to to be a warrior princess who fought dragons alongside Perseus, all while wearing her babes on her back. That the dark spaces are not necessarily absences, but the quiet time she spent in contemplation while wearing or nursing her babe. Is that too much of a stretch?
This Gira also all calls to mind the Andromeda galaxy and constellation. If you squint your eyes just right, the stars in the Andromeda constellation turn into a hazy blur of purples and blues against the inky night sky. These wraps have already been ordered from Girasol.
We are looking at a March/April delivery date.
This weft for this Girasol will be black.

Andromeda Galaxy

For those of you who want a softer Andromeda. This version has a dark blue background. It is a diamond weave and will have a navy blue weft. The perfect finish for such a stellar constellation!

These wraps have already been ordered from Girasol. We are looking at a May 2013 delivery date.

Super Nova

And this is the companion to Andromeda. I have to admit I am not a big, red, orange and yellow person, but man, I like this combo and I would like to think it sort of fits quite well with Andromeda.

A super nova is the grand and brilliant explosion of a dying star. They are extraordinarily bright and the fallout radiation from a super nova explosion can outshine an entire galaxy before it slowly fades from view. These explosions are significant because they can initiate the formation of new stars and they can seed the galaxy with higher mass elements that help in the creation of galactic dust, a necessary element in the formation of stars and planets.

So how does this relate to Andromeda, besides the fact that is a stellar reference? In the story in my head, Super Nova is the answer to Andromeda's lack of story. I guess this could be read as depressing. After Andromeda's bright and explosive entry in Greek Mythology, her story sort of ends in a void. But instead, I would like to think of Andromeda as a super nova. Brilliant and bright, sending her rays out into the galaxy to create new and amazing stars and planets, so her story continues on and on for eternity. Pretty cool, huh?

So, a super nova isn't solely a collapse of a big star; it's the promise of many new stars to come.
These wraps have already been ordered from Girasol. We are looking at a March/April delivery date.
This weft for this Girasol will be black.