In 1977 I had already cut miniatures out of fruit stones for four years when I had the idea to create something out of better material. To this intent I went to a jeweller and ordered an ivory disk. After two weeks I could collect this piece. For once, I had prepared a sketch. It should become a brooch with three intertwined dragons. Soon I had to discover that ivory is an extremely hard material. I had to learn patience and cut away tiny pieces. Stubbornly I worked – exclusively with small carving knives – until after two and a half years the brooch was finished.
For me it was quite unusual that I had difficulties to decide about the central area. I made sketches with flowers, stars, and open space until I let my carving knives do what they wanted. The result was a ball with a strange snakelike form around it.
Many years later – 1994 – I went to China to find a partner firm for a joint venture to build a dyestuff factory. During this first trip I came to Beijing, where I visited the “forbidden city” on a free Sunday. For the first time I was confronted with this very ancient culture. While changing a roll of film in my camera I listened to my audio guide: “If you turn around, you will see the probably largest work of art in one piece in China: a marble plate of approximately 200 tons between two stairs, over which the emperor was carried in his palanquin on his way to the next temple. On the plate you can see the imperial dragon guarding the pearl of perfection.” I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the pearl in her coat of flames. The same pearl I had cut fifteen years earlier into the centre of my brooch! When I told the story to my new Chinese colleagues, they had a fine smile and said: “Now you know why your firm sent you to China! You have been here a very long time ago. You will feel our culture, when we start working together.”
