Ares, God of War

Before I decide to commit to the conception of a particular suit of armor, I can't help but ask myself a few different questions. Am I going to stay true to the culture that I wish to portray? How can I create a solitary piece of Art that will represent an entire civilization? Who and what do I want my artwork to symbolize? These questions remain silent in the back of my mind as I strive to hold on to a strong historical loyalty. I thought long and hard about how I would honor such an accomplished people such as the Greeks. Then I thought to myself about how many Greek civilizations there were, how many Gods they worshiped, and of course the Titans. This endeavor began as a paramount task with the looming question of where to start. It was then where it all became clear. I would break up the entire Greek existence into periods. I would personally interpret each period from the Greek culture and represent it by converting each period into a section of armor.

As I sat at my workbench staring at a large piece of 12oz leather it began to unfold, first I would complete the helm. What better than a Spartan style helmet boasting a large and ornate crystal mane. Then I decided to gift the sword arm with the power of Zeus by creating a gauntlet out of the God Zeus himself. The entire Greek culture to me symbolizes the definition of decadence. The body of this Warrior would be endowed with only a royal Breastplate. Protecting his back stands two golden Trojan horse facing one another in unity. The same two Trojan horse stay united as they decorate the front of the copper bronze shield that protects him. Underneath the stallions is the face of a Spartan warrior carved as an example of how their two fates are intertwined.

Armoring the right shoulder is the God Hates, with an evil red face hungry for whatever awaits. His jaw line is imbedded with crystals as a reminder of evils alluring tongue. Behind the face of Hates is a rear shoulder plate, the center of this plate is home to a widely loved creature known as the Griffin. This beautiful animal has been immortalized through Greek mythology and has spread as far as the Egyptian Empire itself. His left shoulder is dark and beautiful, Thick copper flowers and fur are a constant reminder of the warmth and beauty that Rome can reward.

The skirt is surrounded by hand carved 12oz leather stripping. Alternating dark and light texture give the skirting a pattern that flows, this is to compliment the various transitions throughout the entire piece. Holding the skirting is the waist section of the armor. It has been engraved with (SPQR) the mark of the legion. On the backside of the waist section are the horns of a minotaur. My hope is that the idea of Theseus overcoming the Minotaur will continue to echo in the labyrinth of our own inspirations. The underskirt is stained with the blood from every culture that stood in the way of Greece's expansion. As they paw and grab for dear life this Elite Symbol remains steadfast and unwavering as he deals their final blows.

The almost 1 inch thick leather sheath is etched with a serpent with no head, to restore the ideal of a hero and his triumph over Medusa. Filling this sturdy sheath is a battle warn blade that has defended and murdered its way to glory. Blood, dried to the blade of the sword, this reassures submission to those he passes. The grieve on the right side is red with bronze texture and carved with a Corinthian soldiers pledge. Crosses surround the grieve to demonstrate the Christianization of Rome and its relevance to Corinth during the 6th century.

Draping over the back of this Elite Soldier is a heavy leather cape with two very different sides. The side that is visible for the world to see is a glorious Trojan Horse painted in pearl and embellished with gold. In the eye of this mighty horse is a solitary turquoise stone. Lining the bottom of the cape are soft green gemstones chosen to pick up the green speckle used for the pearl texturing. The backside of the cape is deep red with a Spartan warrior hand painted in black. Why I created the cape this way was that I wanted people to understand that although you may not detect danger, or in fact may even be convinced to think otherwise, it never changes what something is.

Little did I know that when I was originally inspired to create this piece of art to do justice for the Greek culture, that it would almost assemble itself. The only thing I had to be willing to do was begin, as long as my heart was in it, nothing mattered. My work would be my own personal way to display to everyone the passion and respect that I have for each and every culture that I am honored to represent.