PROFILES IN STYLE

Special glow: jewelry's mystical elements
BY ADRIANA CORDOVI

acordovi@herald.com

For Fredda Psaltis, creating her jewelry was all about healing. First, as a way to help cure herself while she recovered from a fractured pelvis. Then, as a means to heal others with the mystical elements she incorporated into her designs.

The end result: Healingstar of Peace, a Kabbalah-inspired jewelry line centered around the Tree of Life, a model of the universe for Kabbalah, ancient Jewish mysticism.

Fredda Psaltis launched her Kabbalah-inspired jewelry last month. NURI VALLBONA/HERALD STAFF

Psaltis uses the Tree of Life as the inspiration behind her amulets, which are drawn from the symbol. Once the Tree of Life diagram is folded, it forms an interfaith symbol with the peace sign in the center. Unfold it, and it once again becomes the Tree of Life.

She calls it ``the future peace symbol.''

''Every time someone looks at it, they see something new,'' Psaltis, 51, says. ``That is like heaven to me.''

As she was recovering from her fractured pelvis, Psaltis meditated, often envisioning a peace sign, she says. Then while on a flight from Los Angeles about a year ago, Psaltis was reading a book on Kabbalah with a drawing of the Tree of Life. She says she's not exactly sure what triggered it, but she was inspired.

She asked a flight attendant for a napkin, resketched the Tree of Life symbol and folded it, discovering the small peace symbol that formed in the center.

Psaltis, a New Yorker born into a family of jewelers had specialized in designing other mystical jewelry like Kabbalah-inspired wedding bands, knew this Healingstar she had discovered was her new hunch.

She took the points in the Tree diagram and used stones like sapphires and rubies to create different energies. She believes the combination of the designs and gems can create healing energies for those wearing the jewelry.

Now, a year since her initial design on the airplane napkin, Psaltis has designed several different forms of jewelry with the amulet and has even made paintings and key chains. She works with a goldsmith who produces the pieces in either silver or gold.

Psaltis had her first party to launch the line on Valentine's Day at friend Anthony Japour's Miami Beach home. Japour, who owns an online gallery and often has private showings at his home, describes her pieces as creative and intriguing.

''For me the biggest thing about this was the concept. It's very conceptual,'' he says. ``I was really intrigued.''




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