Welcome to my web site. Currently, The Fifth Choir Gallery is a hobby. Please bear with me as I change my mind at least one hundred times on what the actual direction of this gallery will be. For now, grab a cup of coffee and browse around my cybershop.

Mysts of Avalon small bullet The Fifth Choir Jewelry Gallery (updated 09/09/09)

Mysts of Avalon small bullet The Fifth Choir Plaques

Mysts of Avalon small bullet My Broken Art Gallery

Mysts of Avalon small bulletA Wall Treatment Tutorial and don't miss the bonus project!

Mysts of Avalon small bulletA Mosaic Tiling Tutorial

Mysts of Avalon small bulletPiggies on Parade

Mysts of Avalon small bulletAbout the Artist

Mysts of Avalon small bulletLinks

Mysts of Avalon small bulletCelebrating the Style of the 1960s

Where Did I Get the Name?

The Fifth Choir was chosen for my fledgling design company eight years ago because of how the name relates to angels. I've always been intrigued with angels despite the fact that I do not consider myself to be a very religious person. I do try to keep an open mind about all religions, I just haven't found the one that suits me best.

According to Malcom Godwin's book, Angels: An Endangered Species, there are nine choirs of angels. Since Hebrews believe that the universe is a hierarchy, Christians adopted this Jewish model of the Cosmos in which God is at the center in the highest position of the hierarchy with entities radiating outward from His Presence like a bullseye. Angels are arranged on three descending levels, with each of those levels having three ranks (or choirs). The highest triad is made up of the Seraphim, the Cherubim, and the Thrones. The second triad is composed of the Dominions, the Virtues, and the Powers. The third triad consists of the Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. Here is a breakdown of these nine choirs of angels:

Mysts of Avalon small bulletThe First Choir
  The Seraphim are believed to be the highest order of God's angelic servants. They ceaselessly sing a song of creation and celebration. The seraphim are in direct communication with God and as such are beings of light and thought who resonate the fire of love. However, when they do appear to humans in their angelic form it is as a six-winged and four-headed being. The prophet Isaiah saw these flaming angels and described, "Each had six wings: two covered the face, two covered the feet, and two were used for flying."

Mysts of Avalon small bulletThe Second Choir
  The Cherubim are described as the guardians of the Tree of Life with an ever-turning flaming sword and the charioteers leading the way for God. The subtle vibrations emanating from the cherubim is one of knowledge and wisdom. Despite the fact that most think of a cherub as a winged baby, this description is not accurate according to the author. Cherubim are described as having four faces and four wings and being much mightier than they are given credit in illustrations.

Mysts of Avalon small bulletThe Third Choir
  The Thrones are considered the actual chariot or "wheels" of the celestial bodies. The description of thrones in history are similar to that of observations of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) reported today. Of all the angelic forms, the thrones are the most puzzling because the took the form of an object that resembles images in our own technology even though they were being described in detail at a time when the wheel was considered hi-tech.

Mysts of Avalon small bulletThe Fourth Choir
  The Dominions are thought to be the order that regulate angels' duties. Others maintain that the fourth choir are channels of mercy living within the second heaven.

Mysts of Avalon small bullet The Fifth Choir
  The Virtues are the angels with the grace to bestow blessings from on high, usually in the form of miracles. They are most often associated with those who struggle for good and instill courage when it is needed the most. Known as the "Brilliant or Shining Ones," I felt this description most represented my belief in angels, as well as the brilliance and magic that I hope my designs bring to others. Because we all know, with the right accessories you can do anything better!

Mysts of Avalon small bulletThe Sixth Choir
  The Powers are also called Dynamis, Potentiates, and Authorities. This choir is believed to be the first angels created by God. They inhabit the perilous border between the first and second heavens and act as a "border patrol." I often wonder if they drive the same white and green SUVs that the Migra use to patrol the Texas/Mexico border ;^)

Mysts of Avalon small bulletThe Seventh Choir
  The Principalities are seen as the the order that is in charge of nations and great cities on Earth.

Mysts of Avalon small bulletThe Eighth Choir
  The Magnificent Seven, or Archangels, are the most widely-known of the angel choirs. The seven angels who stood before God in Revelations are usually interpreted as the archangels, who are the messengers which carry the Divine Decrees. They are considered the most important intercessionaries between God and humans in the fight over good and evil. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel are believed to be the first four of the Magnificent Seven. There is speculation over the other three being Metatron, Remiel, Sariel, Anael, Raguel, and Raziel. The "el" at the end of most of these names translates into "shining" or "brilliant" in many languages. Often the "el" is set off with a hyphen (e.g., Rapha-el).

Mysts of Avalon small bulletThe Ninth Choir
  The Angels are the last order in the celestial hierarchy and the closest to humankind. Known as the courier to the heavens, this choir is what most people think of when they say they have a guardian angel who has brought them a message of faith and hope.

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