I found that my favorite element, however, belonged to the tile on the right: here, I was beginning to wonder if those semi-circular shapes which already began to overlap could extend across the entire composition when shapes were placed side by side. Therefore, that became my next task.

In this tiling, I tiled the circular shapes in honeycomb-like hexagons to allow them to tessellate exactly and without gaps. I then brought the semi-circular shapes to completion and linked them like rings across the composition. Thus, the full work has a large number of focal points, from the individual circular tiles, to the bold hexagonal shape in the background, to the rings that advance off the plane. Here, I feel that there are many patterns sharing the same space, inviting the audience to explore each in depth. While it is very complicated, the piece does not overwhelm the viewer, especially when enlarged, and thus signals the Muslim mosque wall art that were this piece’s inspiration.
Once I had completed my final pattern, I felt that I had finally and fully understood the beauty, art, and intense critical thinking and planning that comprised these Islamic geometric patterns. I began to explore alternate options, opening doors to an infinite number of possibilities: each mathematically perfect, each in keeping with style and tradition because of such simple fundamental building blocks. For such an old and traditional style, these patterns can inspire modern artists as they have influenced my own work as a growing designer.

The ancient Egyptian civilization was one in which all life was respected and celebrated; magic and art combined to make their beliefs in life after death a reality. Their religion, language, and art all shed some light on their culture, a way of life that unfortunately is not fully understood today. The one constant, however, is their great zeal for life and the careful precautions they took through mummification and burial rituals to ensure that such life would continue for all of eternity. One such element of the ritual was the use of canopic jars: Egyptian canopic jars are, in their most basic sense, containers for a mummified person’s organs. Over time, they have evolved from simple carved holes in the walls of tombs into beautiful works of freestanding art, grouped together in equally intricate chests. The materials used became more permanent and beautiful as wood was replaced with stone, and the lids of vessels from flat-tops to elegant gods’ heads. Eventually, though, their functionality was unnecessary and they became truly symbolically magic; that alone fulfilled the purpose of continuing life for the dead. Ultimately, these jars bridged the realms of the living, the dead, and the gods.
	According to findings, it is possible that the very first burial involving canopic installations was as early as the 2nd dynasty; however, this is not currently proven, and the first confirmed case is with the reign of Snefru in the 4th dynasty (Ellison). 