MELISSAE - PROGENITOR OF LIFE - Detail 3
by Calley O'Neill

The Greek word for honeybee is Melissa, which comes from the Greek work meli, or honey. In Greek mythology, Melissa was a nymph who discovered honeycombs and shared the nourishing delights of honey.


This is Rama’s one and only drip painting. Calley sensed it was perfect for the bees, as they see a broader range of color than we do. She envisioned a border mirroring Rama in an eight-fold symmetry, adding flowers, fruits and vegetables that are pollinated by bees. While it looked like a simple enough task at the get go, the symmetry proved very challenging indeed!

Cave paintings show that honey collecting and beekeeping dates way back to the Stone Age, and it is well known that honey has been found in edible condition in ancient Egyptian tombs.


 An International Traveling Exhibition of Endangered Species 
Dedicated to the Children of the World by Calley O'Neill with Rama the Elephant 
AN EPIC JOURNEY OF ART AND SOUL FOR THE EARTH
RAMA: AMBASSADOR FOR THE ENDANGERED ONES
Speaking Passionately on Behalf of Those who Cannot Speak
MELISSAE ~ PROGENITOR OF LIFE