Goddess drawing of the day: Danu

This is yet another drawing that I recently created for Goddess Alive, a book I recently illustrated for Llewellyn Publications. It depicts Danu, the Celtic sovereign goddess associated with water, river and wells. Indeed, many believe that the beautiful blue Danube takes its name from this goddess.

In my drawing, which was created with pencil and white gouache on tinted paper, I’ve chosen to depict Danu’s aquamarine origins. She is literally within and of water itself, a shimmering chimera that can emerge any moment from watery depths to grant a boon. The salmon in the foreground suggests the deep wisdom that this goddess offers; the salmon is a traditional Celtic symbol of knowledge gained in a supernatural manner.

Goddess Alive features 13 Celtic goddesses, each associated with the turn of the seasons and the phases of the moon. It will be published next month but is now available for preorder at amazon.com. If you decide to order it, autographed bookplates are available upon request.

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Goddess painting of the day: Hathor

Last week when I recounted my recent trip to Brandywine, I did not mention another stop we took along the way. And it was a wonderful one!

We were fortunate to obtain tickets to the highly popular Tutankhamun and the Golden Age exhibit at the Franklin Institute. It is from this exhibit that I draw inspiration for today’s Goddess painting of the day, Hathor.

Hathor, as the goddess of beauty, prosperity and all good things, was honored as the Golden One — an appropriate title for a deity concerned with the good life. She was usually depicted with the form of a cow, which is how she is presented here. Her traditional rites often included libations of milk offered to the fertile soil. In this particular painting, the god painted her side is Anubis, who serves as the gatekeeper to the heart; Hathor is invoking him with her magical sistern and chants.

This art excerpted from a painting (below) that I created for Shamanic Mysteries of Egypt, a book recently published by Inner Traditions. I used watercolor, gouache and pencil to make it.

The other gods and goddesses in the painting are Wadjet, Anubis and Set. This particular composition was seen in a vision by Linda Star Wolf, who authored the book along with Nicki Skully; I tried to hew as closely as possible to Star Wolf’s description, which was divinely inspired. Ancient Egyptian art was also an inspiration — I did my best to respectfully incorporate its traditional imagery.

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Goddess drawing of the day: Aine

Happy June! To commemorate the beginning of this month, I present to you Aine, the Celtic goddess of light and magic, whom some consider the faery queen. She is associated with Midsummer Night, the shortest — and most magical — of evenings.

Depicting Aine presented me with an interesting case. This is the second time I’ve illustrated this goddess. Previously, I painted a miniature of Aine for the anniversary edition of The Book of Goddesses; it shows her crowned by the moon and sun, suggesting her role as an intermediary between light and dark. But this drawing emphasizes Aine’s more ethereal aspect. Though I did not depict her with faery wings, there’s definitely more than a bit of the fae about her. It greatly helped that I had a fantastic model who personified many of these mercurial qualities as she posed for me.

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.

Goddess Alive will be published next month and is now available for preorder at amazon.com. If you decide to order it, autographed bookplates are available upon request.

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goddess painting of the day: Iduna

This painting of Iduna was originally created for a book that has yet to come to fruition — maybe one day. But I liked it so much that I decided to include it in the new edition of The Book of Goddesses.

Here’s some information about this lovely goddess. The Norse honored Iduna as the goddess responsible for growing apples, which were eaten by the gods and goddesses to retain their youth and beauty. Iduna grew the golden apples of immortality in her enchanted western garden named Appleland; in the stories of King Arthur, Appleland was called Avalon—the idyllic country of immortal life. Iduna was renowned for her youthful beauty, and was married to Bragi, the handsome god of poetry.

This painting was created with watercolors, gouache, powdered pigments, and even a bit of oil paint — it was a complicated and experimental effort, in other words. Basically, I was trying to see how far I could push my technique. BTW, the runic alphabet at the top of the border spells out phonetically “Iduna Goddess.”

 

It also graced the cover of the catalog  for my recent exhibition at the New York Open Center. If you’re interested, copies of the book are available for purchase; e-mail me your receipt and I’ll even send you an autographed bookplate.

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goddess painting of the day: Hekate

I know I promised to elaborate on the latest going on here at Art and Words. And believe me, if things go forth as it seems they may, this is sorta big news. But it’s Friday. And Friday is when I post my goddess painting of the day. So my news will have to wait until my next post. (Yes, I know I’m being mysterious . . . )

In keeping with the theme of mystery, I’ve decided to feature Hekate as the goddess painting of the day. And hey, it’s Friday the 13th.

Hekate is the Greek goddess associated with the crone aspect of the triple goddess. As the wise crone aspect of the triple goddess, Hekate symbolizes the dark, or waning moon—the time when the moon withholds its light before it illuminates the night sky once more.

Hekate was honored as the Dark One, a mysterious goddess who brought visions and knowledge from the realm beyond life. As goddess of the dark moon, Hekate was affiliated with storms, howling dogs and willow trees. The goddess is symbolized by a golden key, able to unlock untold riches from heaven and earth. In the famous story of Demeter and Persephone, it is Hekate who leads the bereft goddess to the sun god, Helios, thus reuniting mother and daughter.

This oil painting of Hekate was originally created for Persephone and the Pomegranate in 1992 — this is part of a larger painting, which depicts Demeter imploring Hekate for information regarding her daughter Persephone. Years later, I decided to use this section of the painting in the anniversary reissue of The Book of Goddesses.

Incidentally, I am planning a private reissue of Persephone and the Pomegranate. Many people have requested the book over the years, but it sold out when first published. I had originally planned to produce this new edition early this year — it was to be my second Art and Words Edition publication. But my work deadlines have proved more time-intensive than I originally thought. I’m still holding out hope the reissue will happen sooner rather than later, hopefully by the summer.

If you’re interested in Persephone and the Pomegranate and would like a heads up, shoot me an e-mail at e-comment at artandwords dot com. Or better still, sign up for my informal occasional newsletter.

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