Vase Name

Gossip Girl
Phoenix Reborn
Pillar of Atlas
Evangeline
Ogopogo
Iris En Ciel
Original Twin
Kermit The Vase
Haring’s Dance
White Walker
Sobek’s Tears
Mount Olympus
Argus
Draupnir
Grandmother
Old Soul
Make It Work
Hope Rising In Springtime
The Eye Of Horus
The Eye of Balor
Electra
Mother of Dragons
Father of the Sea
Madame Pele’s Flow
Elysium
Flora’s Hope
Venus And Adonis

Wins/Losses

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3/2
0/1
5/0
0/2
3/1
0/1
1/1
0/1
1/2
1/1
4/1
0/1
0/2
0/1
1/1
0/2
1/1
4/1
0/1
0/1
1/2
5/0
0/1
0/1
0/1
0/1

Forged Seating tells the tale of one of the most hard working gods of Olympus, a goddess who sat down and almost never got back up, an arranged marriage orchestrated to bring peace to Olympus, and one very unhappy bride.

We explore the story of Hephaestus and one of his more seemingly regal creations – a throne for Hera. It will of course be another complex tale of mischief and mayhem.

A Complex Relationship

If you think Oedipus had a ‘complex’ relationship with his mother, imagine being cast out of your family home, away from all those you love for the simple fact that due to a physical disability and birth defect you were considered too ugly to live amongst your god like family.

If your name was Hephaestus, you’d know this story all to well. But while in the realm of the mortals he did not let his personal history get him down. He worked hard in his forge and his creations became revered by mortals and gods alike. His work became coveted by all.

Have a Seat, Mother

Fuelled by his popularity and skill (and some resentment that likely burned hotter than his forge), he decided to make his ableist mother a special gift that would appeal to her vanity. After all, how could such an important goddess resist a throne forged by the most talented artist of her time.

There was an unexpected surprise in addition to the throne Hephaestus made his mother. Hera would discover that once she sat upon the throne her son made her that she was unable to get up. Perhaps a fitting turn of events for a mother who rejected her son for being born with a birth defect.

Two Birds With One Stone

If you have read many of these stories, you will know that Hera and Zeus had a very complex relationship (insert link to other vase story here). It was more than likely that Zeus probably enjoyed an affair or two while Hera was trapped on her new throne. But eventually, he would need to find a solution to Hera’s sticky throne problem, if only to stop her complaining.

Zeus himself could not free Hera. So he needed to find a way to appease Hephaestus. But what could he offer a man who could make almost anything he wanted?

Meanwhile, As he pondered this problem . . .

The chaos of Olympus grew as a result of many of the gods fighting over the hand of the most beautiful goddess of Olympus, Aphrodite. Realizing that he could quell the chaos, free his wife and appease Hephaestus all by offering Aphrodite’s hand in marriage to our forgey friend, that’s exactly what he did.

This union would prove to bring misery to both the bride, who would be unfaithful to her vows and the groom, who would once again be consumed with vengeance. But for Zeus, this would keep Aphrodite in play, as one of the many women he would pursue.

The moral of the story? Perhaps revenge is not a dish best served seated . . . or forged.

‘Iris en Ciel’, tells the tale of sisters on opposite sides of a war, loyalty to the gods, travel by rainbow, and a goddess with a sweet tooth who was a messenger that would give the postal service a run for their money while bringing your prayers to the gods.

Fraternal twins Iris and her sister Arke, would both born to be messengers to the gods, but would have very different fates. Iris would remain loyal to the Olympian gods. Her sister Arke would choose to get mixed up with the wrong crowd. She would become messenger for the Titans in what would be their losing war against the gods of Olympus.

This mistake would cost Arke her wings and earn her ticket to the Titan prison known as Tartarus. Tartarus was a deep dark dungeon in the underworld. Not a very nice place, but she got off lightly compared to another Titan whose story we have told.

Iris, however, would not waver in her loyalty to the Olympian gods. She would remain their messenger. It was thought that she had a rainbow coat and used it to create rainbows to travel from place to place. In between what must have been her exhaustive duties as messenger for the rather high maintenance gods of Olympus, Iris would still find time for her other duties. Clearly the winged goddess knew the plight of a working woman!

Iris also helped humans connect with the gods. She assisted by bringing people’s prayers to the gods, and sometimes even intervening herself on someone’s behalf to their benefit.

Those in the know were aware that Iris had a sweet tooth. She really loved date squares, and those who were wise to this morsel of information would leave her a sweet honey cake. Have a prayer you want answered?

Better get baking!