Birth of Aphrodite

Print Arts Northwest will be exhibiting prints from Cyprus during the month of March and later in the year we will be sending prints there for exhibition in one of their galleries. But, while their work is here we were asked to do small 9" sq. prints giving an interpretation of Cyprus to be hung with the work from Cyprus. That was the impetus for the birth of Aphrodite. I learned that Cyprus was the birthplace of the mythical Aphrodite, ancient Greek goddess of love, and figured that if Venus arrived via sea shell then Aphrodite may have arrived from the sea also, amidst bubbles. And so she did, with a basket of hearts and carrying the two olive branches from the Cypriot flag (symbols for the two factions of Cyprus: Greek and Turkey), may they continue to live in peace. Her head dress is a map of Cyprus and is embellished with copper leaf as the name Cyprus means "copper" in Greek. So there you have it - the explanation of all the elements in the birth of Aphrodite. She is a Solarplate intaglio using several plates printed numerous times and ending with chine collé of the goddess herself, and the bubbles, printed at the same time as the line plate, of course.