Quartz sculpture – “The Guardian Angel of Love”

The origin of the design

This Quartz sculpture named “The guardian Angel of Love” is designed with the intention to use the power of the stone itself.  This is also the reason why it has gotten the title “The guardian Angel of Love”.

The stone: Rock Crystal

The stone is a natural mixture of pink quartz, white quartz and rock crystal. The weight of the original stone was 350 kg, but the sculpting process has reduced the weight down to 110 kg. The height of the sculpture is 73 cm.  

The Quartz sculpture

The sketch of the quartz sculpture shows a mixture of styles. It shows that the sculpture incorporates abstract, realistic and organic elements. The use of these different styles creates a contrast that is very explicit in some places, but very subtle in other places. 

The contrasts are created through form, but also by different processing techniques, (chopping, filing and polishing). Jan-Carel aims to capture all of these contrasts in one object in the most beautiful and complementary way. By using a combination of contrasts, Jan-Carel also wants to unite the meaning of the design with the energy of the stone.

The Guardian Angel of Love | Beeldhouwer Jan-Carel Koster

With regard to “The Guardian Angel of Love”, the following can be noticed: The stone has been left crude on one side, preserving how nature created it. On the other side, a realistic Angel Wing has been carved down to the smallest details. The backside of the Angel Wing merges into an abstract form, which in turn merges into an entanglement of symbols.

As the main shape of the sculpture, a heart has been created in the opening of the stone which has been polished to a high gloss. Below the heart, Jan-Carel has created an abstract transition to the heart shape by using the Celtic symbol for love: “The Celtic Knot”. Because the Celtic Knot is infinite, it stands for infinite WISDOM, COMPASSION and LOVE.

With the contrast between the raw side of the quartz sculpture and the man-made Angel Wing, Jan-Carel wants to show that nature and humanity co-exist in a universe where they both drink from the same elixir of life. Although this implies that nature and humans -as a part of nature- stand side by side, Jan-Carel also uses the contrast as a metaphor for the conflicts between humans and nature. Just look at the negative impact humans have had on nature throughout history or how little common ground western society shares with nature nowadays. 

The abstract shapes in the sculpture incorporate the symbols of love, wisdom and compassion. These symbols are a reference to the relationship between humans and nature 

The heart shape has been polished to a high gloss, creating optimal transparency of the stone. Together with the central position of the heart, it accentuates love as an important element in life.  

The top layer of the wing has also been polished to bring out the transparency of the stone even more. The transparency of the wing emphasizes its role. To Jan-Carel, the angel wing represents a protective shield around the symbol of LOVE, WISDOM and COMPASSION. 

The story behind “The Guardian Angel of Love” combined with the symbols and the energy of the stone, create a powerful catalyst when it is in your living environment. Below you can find a description of the energies of each stone type that is incorporated by the sculpture.  

Quartz

Almost all African sources of quartz like jasper amethyst and many other beautiful minerals occur in the Namaqua belt. This quartz stone used for this sculpture comes from a large area with various landscapes: from rugged semi-desert to mountains. The area is located south of the Kalahari Desert, through which the Orange River flows to the sea.

Quartz is a popular gemstone that is increasingly difficult to find in large sizes as most resources have been exhausted. Recently, a new area in which quarts occurs has been discovered in the catchment area of the Orange River, which can be seen above. The area is about 30 km from the nearest settlement and can only be reached through hardly passable paths and roads.

The energies released from quartz are wonderful to have in your living environment. Since the sculpture contains a mixture of different kinds of quartz, multiple energies are united in one sculpture. But what’s even more important, is the message Jan-Carel wants to convey through this sculpture, which is to guard one’s own happiness and wisdom in love. By love, Jan-Carel does not only refer to the love for another person but also the love for all that lives around you.

Rose quartz

Rose quartz is without a doubt the stone of love and the heart. The stone has a strong effect on the heart chakra and opens the heart to receive- and to give love.

Source Quartz

The stone attracts harmonious love, friendships and promotes self-love and self-acceptance. Rose quartz has a calming effect on sadness and trauma. It also promotes empathy, openness and helpfulness. The stone makes one receptive to all kinds of beauty and stimulates creativity and imagination.

Rock crystal

Rock Crystal is a stone with enormous healing power and is often used in healing and energetic work. The stone regulates energy, absorbs energy, gives energy and stores energy according to what is needed in a certain situation. Because rock crystal is so neutral and pure, the stone can be charged for any energetic effect, and it can also enhance the effect of other stones. It protects the aura from radiation and cleanses and balances the chakras.

On a mental level, rock crystal promotes concentration, clear thinking, helps to maintain a neutral attitude and promotes problem-solving. The stone has a purifying, vitalizing, cooling effect (for burns for example), stimulates the immune system, balances the body, is analgesic and fever-reducing. 

White quartz

White quartz, a.k.a. “Snow Quartz” is a suitable stone for people who take on too many responsibilities, but as a result experience great limitations and feel like they are being lived. The stone helps to go back to your inner self and to seek and maintain equivalent and balanced relationships. 

It also helps to prevent adopting a victim role and to take responsibility for your own behavior. White Quartz helps to strengthen social skills and manners, such as tact, cooperation, thinking before you speak. Spiritually, the stone helps to get in touch with your inner source. Just like rock crystal, this Quartz is a strong medicinal stone but has a softer and more gradual effect. Like Rock Crystal, White Quartz is purifying, vitalizing, analgesic, fever-reducing, stimulates the immune system and brings the body into balance.