goddess art of the day: Brigit

The fire of inspiration is a gift all writers and poets yearn to experience. Celtic people of long ago entreated the goddess Brigit for this divine spark. Wise Brigit was thought to take the form of a triple goddess, with each aspect of her divinity bearing a special function. As Brigit, goddess of poetry, poets asked her to take possession of their imaginations to bring forth words capable of moving people to tears and laughter. Brigit, the goddess of smithing, taught humans the important craft of forging iron, allowing them to create tools to aid their work; perhaps as a reflection of this, some believe her name translates as “the fiery arrow.” Finally, Brigit, the goddess of healing, shared her knowledge of herbs to heal the ill.

Brigit’s sacred holiday, the feast of Imbolg, is observed the first of February. It is a celebration that welcomes the return of light after the dark winter. It also marks the start of lambing season, and the new life that arrives with the start of spring.

Though I’ve painted and drawn Brigit for other publications, this drawing was created for Goddess Alive, a book I recently illustrated for Llewellyn Publications. I used pencil, white gouache on tinted paper. The book features 13 Celtic goddesses, each associated with the turn of the seasons and the phases of the moon. Order from amazon.com.

Technorati Tags: Brigit, goddess art, Kris Waldherr

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