Saturday, 28 November 2015

Other wig stylists work

Shaun McGrath Wiggery facebook page with images








Avant garde hair stylist competition finalist


THE FOUR ELEMENTS BY GONZALO ZARAUZA for estetica magazine








Ziortza Zarauza awarded Best Technique Award


Hair roses by Ziortza Zarauza of Spain. 


Avante garde hair stlylist blog


Eric Fisher gallery on uk hair dresser website http://www.ukhairdressers.com/style/salon-styles.asp?salon=Eric%20Fisher


Monday, 23 November 2015

FASHION AND MYTHOLOGY IN ANCIENT GREECE

Among legendary characters and classical artworks, we discover what Greeks used to wear
Like Andromache, wife of Hector and a very beautiful woman,  there are many other characters from the Greek mythology that are meticulously described in their dresses and in their beauty and fashion. Ancient Greek people loved to enhance the physical perfection, the divine harmony and balance of the human being and the human body. We can mention the sculptures of Phidias, the Renaissance David by Michelangelo, that embodies the sensitiveness and the shapes ofAncient Greece, the stylistic and literary portraits of Aphrodite, Adonis, Calypso and Penelope in the Odyssey, until we reach the myth of Apuleius: Cupid and Psyche. Ancient Greeks, both men and women, used to wear the chiton (or chitone), a knee-length tunic for men, and an ankle-length tunic for women.

Sometimes men, too, used to wear the floor-length chiton, as we can see in the famous sculpture of Charioteer of Delphi. To keep it still, they used pins or clips, or a rope or a belt to wrap the waist. The experts can distinguish the Ionic chiton from the Doric one: the first was usually made of wool, and the latter of linen. For a while, people used to believe that Greeks only wore white clothes, or clothes of the natural colour of fiber: this mistake was due to the antique statues that have been brought to light during the Renaissance period, and that lost every trace of the possible paint. On the contrary, the clothes that were used were colourful and  diapered.

http://www.vogue.it/en/encyclo/fashion/m/fashion-and-mythology-in-ancient-greece

Monday, 16 November 2015

The gordons

The Gorgons were three monsters in Greek mythology, daughters of Echidna and Typhon, the mother and father of all monstersrespectively. Their names were Stheno, Euryale, and the most famous of them, Medusa. Although the first two were immortal,Medusa was not. Weirdly, Medusa was also not considered the child of Echidna and Typhon, but of Phorkys and Keto. Their faces were ugly and their hair was replaced by snakes; anyone who would gaze into their eyes would be turned to stone instantly.

http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Gorgons/gorgons.html

HE GORGONES (or Gorgons) were three powerful, winged daemons

According to late classical poets, Medousa was once a beautiful maiden who was transformed by Athena into a monster as punishment for lying with Poseidon in her shrine. However, early Greek writers and artists, simply portray her as a monster born of a monstrous family.

http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Gorgones.html

Zeus

Zeus was the first of the gods and a very imposing figure. Often referred to as the “Father of Gods and men”, he is a sky god who controls lightning (often using it as a weapon) and thunder. Zeus is king of Mount Olympus, the home of Greek gods, where he rules the world and imposes his will onto gods and mortals alike.

According to “Work and Days” by Hesiod (line 59), Zeus was a carefree god who loved to laugh out loud. He was regarded as wise, fair, just, merciful, and prudent. He was also unpredictable – nobody was able to guess the decisions he would make.

He was also easily angered which could be very destructive. He has previously hurled lightning bolts and caused violent storms that wreaked havoc on earth.
Zeus fell in love easily and had many affairs with various women, however he would severely punish anybody who attempted to escort/fall in love with his wife Hera – like the giant Porphyrion who took a lightning bolt from the engraged god for lusting after his wife (albeit with a little help from the love god Eros).
He is often described as a strong, imposing man with a regal body and long, often curly, hair. He usually had a short beard or scruff and carried his trusty thunderbolt at all times.

  • Zeus, more recently known for causing thunder and lightning, was once a rain-god. He was always associated with the weather in some form.

Hestia

Hestia was the goddess of the hearth, home, architecture, domesticity, family, and the state. She was one of only three virgin goddesses, next to Athena and Artemis

She was primarily known the Goddess of the Hearth.

Hestia is completely omitted from the works of Homer, author of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Her name literally means “hearth”; appropriately, her priorities were family and community.

http://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/goddesses/hestia/

Hephaestus

Hephaestus was the Greek god of blacksmiths, sculptors, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes; thus, he is symbolised with a hammer, an anvil and a pair of tongs.

He was the son of Zeus and Hera and married to Aphrodite by Zeus to prevent a war of the gods fighting for her hand.

Facts about Hephaestus

  • Hephaestus was known as the God of Fire.
  • In some accounts, he was said to be the son of Zeus and Hera; in others, he was the son of Hera alone, conceived in order to get back at Zeus for bringing forth Athena.
  • Hephaestus was the only ugly god among perfectly beautiful immortals.
  • Hephaestus was born deformed and was cast out of heaven by one or both of his parents when they noticed that he was imperfect.
  • He was the workman of the immortals: he made their dwellings, furnishings, and weapons.
  • In his workshop, Hephaestus had assistants who were made out of gold and who helped him with his work.
  • His forge or workshop was located under a volcano, and the work he did within it caused frequent eruptions.
  • In most accounts, Aphrodite is named as his wife, although she was unfaithful to him (with Ares, for one). Theirs was an arranged marriage.
  • Hephaestus was a patron of the arts.
  • He was a kind and peace-loving god.
  • In art, Hephaestus is usually depicted as bending over an anvil or walking with the assistance of a cane.
  • He was worshipped primarily in Athens, where he had a temple.
  • Hephaestus manufactured the aegis (or shield) that Athena is known for carrying.
  • The arrows of Eros (known also as Cupid) were fashioned by Hephaestus as well.
  • Hephaestus was the god of the ceremony when children were officially admitted to the city organization.
  • According to a story told both by Homer and Hesiod, Hephaestus married Aglaia, one of the three Graces.
  • Hephaestus was known for making a gold basket that Europa, daughter of the King of Sidon, used to gather flowers when she happened upon Zeus in the meadow.
  • Hephaestus crafted the armor that Achilles wore in the Trojan War. The same arms, despite their connection to divinity, brought about the death of Ajax.
  • Aphrodite gave Harmonia an extraordinary necklace made by Hephaestus. The piece of jewelry brought disaster to later generations.
  • Erichthonius was the son of Hephaestus: he was half man, half serpent.


Aphrodite

Aphrodite was the goddess of love, desire and beauty. Apart from her natural beauty, she also had a magical girdle that compelled everyone to desire her.

http://www.greekmythology.com/Olympians/Aphrodite/aphrodite.html

Facts about Aphrodite

  • Aphrodite was the goddess of fertility, love, and beauty.
  • Two different stories explain the birth of Aphrodite. The first is simple: She was the child of Zeus and Dione.
  • According to the second story, however, Aphrodite rose from the foam of the sea.
  • Aphrodite was married to Hephaestus, but Aphrodite did not enter into this union of her own volition.
  • She and Ares conceived Harmonia, who eventually married Herodotus.
  • She was the mother of Hermaphroditus by Hermes.
  • Aphrodite and her son Eros (Cupid) teamed up to cause Zeus to fall in love with a human named Europa.
  • Aphrodite loved Adonis. She saw him when he was born and determined then that he should be hers. She assigned Persephone to his care, but Persephone fell in love with Adonis also and would not give him back. Finally, Zeus had to mediate. He judged that Adonis should spend half the year with each.
  • Aphrodite used a swan-drawn car to glide easily through the air.
  • Although Aphrodite and Hera were not friends, Hera went to the Goddess of Love for help as she endeavored to assist the heroes in their Quest of the Golden Fleece.
  • Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena were the top three contenders for a gold apple marked “For the Fairest.” They asked Zeus to judge the contest, but he refused. Paris, son of the King of Troy, judged the contest instead. Each of the three goddesses promised him something in return; he chose Aphrodite as the winner of the apple. This story of the Judgment of Paris was considered to be the real reason behind the Trojan War.
  • During the Trojan War, Aphrodite fought on the side of Paris.
  • Aphrodite rescued Paris from Menelaus by enveloping him in a cloud and taking him back to Troy.
  • Aphrodite owned a girdle that contained her enchantments; Hera borrowed it once to seduce Zeus in order to distract him from the Trojan War.
  • Aphrodite gave Harmonia a necklace that brought disaster to a later generation.
  • Prostitutes considered the Goddess of Love their patron.
  • Aphrodite had a few mortal lovers. One of the most notable was the Trojan shepherd Anchises. The two of them conceived Aeneas.
  • Corinth was the center of Aphrodite’s worship.
  • Early Greek art depicted the goddess as nude.
  • She was the model for the famous sculpture Venus de Milo.
  • Aphrodite and Cupid initiated the love between Jason (hero of the Quest of the Golden Fleece) and the daughter of the Colchian King.


Hera

HERA was the Queen of the gods, and goddess of the sky, women and marriage.

Hera was the jealous sister & wife of Zeus (king of all gods). she is a godess and patron of marriage and childbirth. in several myths she was vindictive to those who Zeus fell in love with.


Stories including Hera

Pausanias, Description of Greece 7. 4. 4 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :
"The Samians themselves hold that the goddess [Hera] was born in the island by the side of the river Imbrasos under the willow that even in my time grew in the Heraion (temple of Hera)."

http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/HeraMyths.html

She was also known to turn her anger towards mortals who crossed her as well – for example, Paris, who chose Aphrodite over Hera as the most beautiful goddess at the marriage of the sea-nymph Thetis to a mortal called Peleus.

In images and statues, Hera is portrayed as being majestic and solemn, crowned with the polos – a high cylindrical crown worn by many of the Great Goddesses.


Facts about Hera

  • Hera was Queen of the Olympian gods.
  • She was the wife and sister of Zeus.
  • Hera was a jealous wife, and she fought with Zeus frequently over his extramarital affairs and illegitimate children. For this reason, Hera was known for punishing offending husbands.
  • She was the protector of women, presiding over marriages and births.
  • While Hera was worshipped in all parts of Greece, temples were erected in her honor at Argos and Salmos.
  • The peacock was sacred to her.
  • Hera had few, if any, redeeming qualities. She never forgot an injury.
  • The Titans Ocean and Tethys brought her up.
  • Hera is often described as “cow-faced,” although she was also called the chief among the immortals in beauty.
  • Though she may have been physically attractive, her vindictive personality makes her less so.
  • The Trojan War would have ended in peace, but Hera had a vested interest in its outcome and influenced Zeus to either switch sides or remain neutral.
  • Hera had no concept of justice when angry or jealous; she could not forgive the women with whom Zeus had sexual relations—even if they were innocent of wrongdoing.
  • Ilithyia, a daughter of Hera’s, assisted women in childbirth.
  • In the story of the Quest of the Golden Fleece, Hera was a gracious protector of the heroes.
  • Paris awarded Aphrodite the Golden Apple over Athena and Hera.
  • Hera punished one of Zeus’s love interests, Io, by putting her in the charge of Argus. Argus had a hundred eyes and kept vigilant watch over her so that Zeus could not come to her aid.
  • Hera turned Callisto into a bear because Zeus fell in love with her.
  • Hera arranged the death of Semele, another of Zeus’s mortal conquests, although she did not directly cause it.
  • Hera never forgave Hercules for being Zeus’s son, but when Hercules died and was taken to heaven, he and Hera reconciled. While in heaven, Hercules married Hera’s daughter Hebe.
  • In some stories, it was at Hera’s orders that Dionysus was torn to pieces. He was brought back to life, and it is this resurrection that was celebrated in theatres.



Why is greek mythology relevant today?

one look at the vast amount of ancient Greek-themed movies and literature today, people will quickly come to the conclusion that the world is still fascinated with Greek mythology though they might not always be able to say why.

For sure, these stories may have been written hundreds if not thousands of years ago, but it is good to remember they were written by wise men who had a hand in helping shape modern thinking. 

Indeed, a person who doesn’t look beyond the surface will think these tales are nothing more than flights of fancy by old story-tellers from the past but a deeper look at the stories will tell you more than that. These myths aren’t just legends and while they are “just stories” they are stories with a purpose and reason. A deeper look at Greek myths should reveal morals, philosophies, and even warnings.

These myths were told to people and it helped them realize the difference between right and wrong. It helped them come to terms with how they should be humble and never think themselves immortal or they might just be proven wrong in the most horrible and inopportune of ways. Also, these tales tell people of heroes and how true greatness was achieved by those who dared while at the same breath, showing the flaws of these heroes.
Any modern person who reads or hears of Greek myths will be hard-pressed to stay unaffected. They are simply that good and this proves just how relevant they still are. Anyone can pick up a book of Greek myths. For sure, they will get something from it.

reason to study those Greek myths is because they have contributed a lot to classic and modern literature in the form of symbols.

Who are Some Famous Authors?

Below is a short list of some famous Greek mythology authors and their equally famous works:
  • Plato – This is perhaps one of the most famous of famous Greek writers. He is known for his popular dialogues including the RepublicPhaedoSymposium,PhaedrusTimaeus, and Philebus. Nothing much is known about Plato but it cannot be denied that his writings have had lots of influence on classic literature as we know it today.
  • Sophocles – Sophocles wrote 123 plays during his career and while some people might expect a happy ending from those plays, they will be sorely disappointed. Sophocles was a tragedian and came up with famous tragedies like Oedipus, the King and Electra, and Antigone. Of his 123 plays, only 7 survived intact.
  • Euripides – He was also a tragedian like Sophocles and while he wrote only 95 plays, at least 18 of them survived. Some of his famous works include Medea,The Bacchus, and Alcestis. What made his plays and stories stand out was that they tended to be realistic and would show strong women with wise slaves. He had a massive influence on the concept of European Tragedy.

  • Aristophanes – This writer was a comedian and at some point, his pen was the most feared weapon in Athens. He wrote 40 plays but only 11 have survived. Plato even pointed out that the play The Clouds written by Aristophanes was responsible for the trial and execution of Socrates.



Friday, 13 November 2015