We love Hestia

In Ancient Greek religion, Hestia is the goddess of the hearth and of harmony within the family. She is the goddess that many mothers identify with. Perhaps women identify with Aphrodite when they are young, with Athena when they are -for instance- battling for a better education for their children, but certainly they might often feel in the role as Hestia when they work around the clock to create harmony (and health) for their family. Even fathers or home keeping men are allowed to identify with Hestia's harmonizing and health promoting qualities.

My drawing of Hestia is an ode to our beloved, late mother (who, at times, was a political active Athena as well). She was a nurse and teacher of young nurses, and she knew how to keep a person, a whole family, even a larger social circle in harmony and in good health.

I placed Hestia's statute in a classical and elegant park. This park does not exists in real life. It is designed by me by putting together elements and thus creating an imitate and elegant scenery.

Behind the fence one notices Demeter (Ceres) with her beautiful daughter Persephone (Proserpina). I placed the three women in the same garden but Hestia is on the other side of the water, slightly distanced from Demeter and Persephone, referring to two different realms, that of those alive and the other side. This is a family portrait although few will know or notice. 

At Handmade Luxury Home, we love Hestia because we relate to her on all fronts. We love her home-making. We admire her caring for a family. We see her representing our mother Marij Kuitenbrouwer. We see her as valuable to a family as the invention of fire was at the start of our human development. (After all, Hestia was the goddess of the hearth: she attended the fire, keeping the family home warm and safe).

NEW WORD: MAGIC MAKING

There is a new word mentioned recently in relation to home-making. Its is called 'Magic Making'. What is it?

Magic making is the practice of infusing daily mundane tasks with intention, love, and energy to transform a living space into a sanctuary.

Sociologist Leah Ruppanner has done research on why women are still taking up most household tasks (and consequently are more prone to feeling exhausted). Ruppanner gives Magic Making the following definition:

"The emotional thinking about carrying on traditions and creating special life moments. Think about who creates the "magical moments" at Christmas and who does all the work to make that happen."

(BBC's recommended interview with Ruppanner is here.)

Ruppanner points out traditions. Christmas, wedding anniversaries, and all these special days have traditional ways of celebrating and decorating. Christmas, birthdays, decorating a room, table with handmade crafts, all such things are done to heightened the atmosphere. 

But there is more to tradition other than decoration. For us, tradition also refers to our inherited artisan genes.

We feel this heightened atmosphere inside our ateliers. Because we carry on traditions (with artisan genes in our cells). We work on paintings, quilts, and other crafts to make our -and your home- rich with atmosphere.

When we retreat to our studio's, we feel that magic - call it inspiration or Hestia's energy- entering us. We then set out to make lovely quilts, wall-art, clothing, needle work, art pillows, and art cards.

Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Marga van der Vet