Freya’s Tears Bombe Side Table

Freya is the goddess of beauty, fertility, and love. As the most important goddess of Norse mythology, she represents the bounty of spring, the warm presence of love, and the shamelessness of sharing oneself with full vulnerability. Similar to Aphrodite, the goddess of love in Greek mythology and irresistible as Helen of Troy, she is the archetype of desire, longing, and the need to be loved.

According to legend, Freya will travel the world searching for her lover Óðr when he goes traipsing around on long journeys, inexplicably leaving Freyja behind. She will assume different names and embody different aspects of herself as she searches for her love. She weeps tears of gold in her sadness at being abandoned by her true love.
Why was I inspired by this particular painting called Freya’s Tears created by Anne Marie Zilberman in the style of Gustav Klimt? Truth be told, I did not plan on this piece evolving as it did into a poem without words. I created the background using Rust-Oleums metallic sprays Turquoise, Satin Bronze, and Carbon Black. I couldn’t decide on the color so I kept spraying a different one on top of the other until I became frustrated and attempted to wipe it all off. What emerged was a dream-like haze of all the metallic colors I had used. From there, I knew what it should be.

I love the art nouveau movement but in particular, Gustav Klimt’s work is powerful in its intensity featuring women in various poses wearing geometrical patterns and the heavy use of gold. It made sense to keep the metallic theme on this piece and who better than Klimt to inspire the design. Like Freya, I often feel lost in the stream of consciousness in my mind. There is a beauty in sadness as is symbolized with Freya’s golden tears. Without it, we would not know happiness. We would not feel joy.

I used gold leaf and some of Re•design with Prima®️ transfers: Gilded Distressed Wall and Rustic Sea. I painted Freya with a mixture of Eye Love Hue Paint and acrylics. I also added some of Modern Masters pale gold. I wanted the design to look like a story so the script was perfect. Additional gold on the sides tied it all in cohesively. You can catch my lives on the creation of Freya.
Aren’t we all seeking something? The need to be loved? Wanting what is lost? The continuation of our species? From my heart, I poured what I felt into this. I hope you feel some connection with this piece. It is sadness, but it is also what the power of love can do to unite us all.