Still haven't purchased a domain name for this site. "Nika of the Black Sea" is seeming a little long and tired to me these days. Contemplating changing it to just "Nika of the Sea."

Researching the history of the Black Sea, I found this on wikipedia: Strabo's Geography reports that in antiquity, the Black Sea was often just called "the Sea" (ho pontos). For the most part, Graeco-Roman tradition refers to the Black Sea as the 'Hospitable sea', Euxeinos Pontos (Εὔξεινος Πόντος). This is a euphemism replacing an earlier 'Inhospitable Sea', Pontos Axeinos, first attested in Pindar (early fifth century BCE,~475 BC). Strabo thinks that the Black Sea was called "inhospitable" before Greek colonization because it was difficult to navigate, and because its shores were inhabited by savage tribes. The name was changed to "hospitable" after the Milesians had colonized the southern shoreline, the Pontus, making it part of Greek civilization.

Cheeky. As if there are no other seas on the planet, let's just refer to my sea as "The Sea."

I am a mermaid soul. 
Woken from the waters of old. 
I roam alone and yet with all. 
My sea-home sings to me, a depth unknown. 

Or something along those lines!

Also, am named after Nike of Samothrace, Greek goddess of victory, whose infamous ancient sculpture (now housed at the Louvre) was built in honor of a maritime win. Her silhouette has graced historic sail ships as a figurehead for protection, guidance, victory in sea battle. Though I am a pacifist and don't condone any sort of battle over anything, the idea of her ancient symbolism always appeals to me. Particularly the idea of her being a guide, extending her vision ahead of the ship, scanning the horizon for what's to come, brave and strong. 

So. Nika of the Sea? A little less specific, a little less "using the word black in the title," which my Mother thinks is too foreboding. Her opinion is important to me. I've been married to the "Black Sea" idea for too long... it is the place I come from after all. But with this new title, it's like saying I'm of the whole world, rather than of California, or of Odessa. Sure. We are {mostly} all of this world. I think. 

Oh. And I love the wiki mention of "savage tribes." I was so there. 

So excited to be working on my brand new artist website! It's a birthday present to myself (today being my birthday!), and I am eager to complete it so I can share my creations and visions with the world! Here are some process shots:

I hope you'll come back soon! It's going to be a magical year!
Love, 
Nika