Mineral Magic

I harbour a secret love for minerals. In fact, I can't believe I've never posted about this before. I could stare at them for hours (sometimes I do), getting lost in the glassy plains, neon colours and perfectly placed anomalies. They are at once like vast landscapes seen from the air and precious nuggets you can cradle your hand.

One of my favourite places in Toronto actually happens to be the Minerals exhibition at the ROM. Not many people make it downstairs to the museum’s basement, but for me it is a goldmine of geological findings organized according to colour and origin. Last time I was there with my friend Julie, we actually had something akin to a euphoric experience (nerd alert!!), our brains trying to keep up with the glorious things our eyes were taking in.

I think what started this mild obsession is a rock my dad brought back from Elora, India. The area is rich in amethyst and many visitors hope they will stumble on a treasure, but very few do. After many hours of searching and patient stone cracking, my dad got his payoff—a sparkling purple gem encased in a dusty, grey rock.

The images I've compiled here  are from Mineralia, an incredible online collection of mineral porn.

Also, have a browse at this gallery of painted gems from Toronto artists Carly Waito (we went to school together many moons ago). And if you still want more, French artist Sophie Duran seems to have a similar source of inspiration.