the burden of his tail

remember this guy? the peacock who did his sweet little booty-call dance for hazel at the albuquerque zoo?

well, i haven't really been able to get him out of my mind, and an idea started forming for a necklace.

i found myself drawing sketches all over the place, and today i finally got to create it. here he is:

several layers of silver sheet, with variscite, malachite, and turquoise feathers

it's head suspended below it's beautiful tail

and finished with a handmade wire-wrapped chain.

i LOVE the quote on the back! i think that it can be interpreted in several different ways. how do YOU interpret it?

there is all kinds of lore about peacocks. when i was doing research before getting my tattoo on my hand (which contains a stylized peacock feather), i learned a lot about them. they are, obviously, a symbol for beauty, and pride. some cultures believe that the bird represents evil, others say they repel it, hence the "evil eyes" in the feathers. because their feathers regrow every spring, comparisons have been drawn between the peacock and the phoenix, as a symbol for rebirth or a change in life/circumstances. they are considered very aggressive birds. they can eat poisonous snakes and not be harmed.

the peacock is also mentioned in one of aesop's fables. in the story, the peacock goes to juno and complains that the nightingale has a sweet song and he does not. juno told him that he had beauty and size. the peacock asks what good was his beauty without a great voice. juno wisely replied that every creature has its gifts and faults, and they should be content with them and who they are.