Biography
Catherine Vamvakas Lay often incorporates pomegranate imagery combined with bronze, to explore this ancient symbol of spirituality. She earned a degree in Fine Arts (specializing in sculpture) from York University and a diploma in glass from Sheridan Institute of Technology. Vamvakas has received several honours and awards including receipt of a full-time residence at Harbourfront Centre Glass Studio for three years in Toronto. Her work is part of many collections in Canada, the US, Amsterdam and Korea, and she has participated in group exhibitions in the US, Korea, Japan, Canada and Belgium.
"The Pomegranate series is an exploration of the cross-culturally recognizable symbol of the pomegranate. My interest is based in my Greek cultural heritage. Pomegranates of various materials are found in most households as amulets of good fortune, abundance, and fertility. The symbol is linked to the Classical Greek myth of Persephone and the fruit that she brought from the underworld. As a result, pomegranates and pomegranate seeds can symbolically be linked with the unconscious and the spiritual. Pomegranate, as one of the Ancient Greek pagan symbols is still in use in Modern Greece and can be seen as a reminder of the common thread that connects and interweaves the past with the present."
