Summer Sketches

This summer has been a brutal one here in the vale. The endless heatwaves have proven to be an incredible challenge both for my health and for my art practice. Painting has largely been restricted to very early mornings before the heat fully sets in. So most of the time I’ve had to find alternatives to painting.

I have turned to my trusty dry materials to do some sketching during these hot summer months. Coloured pencils, markers, and pens have provided the opportunity to still create even during the nightmarish heat.

August Begins

August has arrived and thankfully brought along with it some much needed relief from the relentless heatwaves that have scorched much of the UK. Here in the Vale we are feeling the effects from the merciless sun god.

I am forced to get up early with the rising sun these days in order to take my twice weekly trips to the post office to drop off orders to my wonderful customers. I set out across the sheep fields just as the sun began to climb.

This time of the year the wood pigeons and jackdaws aren’t the only denizens of the sky. Hot air balloons are a common sight here and one passed by overhead as I made my way across the fields.

Past the sheep fields I wandered through the hedgerows, hidden from the burning eye of the sun.

It was quiet and cool among the hedges. I found a handful of blackberries that had managed to survive the heat. Only a few of the dark fruits remained among on the brambles, most had shrivelled in the summer sun.

Beyond the hedges lay the village. It was early still and the streets were empty and peaceful. I dropped off my orders and turned homeward, retracing my steps through the winding hedges, and across the fields where the sun was gaining in strength. I turned away from the bright star, it would have the whole day to display its intense powers. I kept to the shadows and the dark, eager to cling to what was left of the night. The moon was my sole companion here and she kept me company on my walk home, keeping a bright and gentle eye on me the entire way as night slowly turned to day.

Full Wolf Moon Ritual

The first full moon of the year and a new decade rises tonight. Known by many names including the quiet moon, ice moon, and the moon after yule, the most well known name of the January moon is the wolf moon. This is the name I prefer and the one I find the most inspiring. In folklore this full moon gets its name from the sound of wolves howling, supposedly in hunger, during the long nights. While I enjoy the evocative imagery of the lore, for me the first month of the year is a time to reflect on the things I have accomplished as well as the goals and wishes I have for the year ahead. I think of this time as one of change and and the wolf symbolises both strength and transformation.

Last year was a busy and very challenging one for me both personally and professionally and so I intend to use this night of the full moon to create a personal ritual to recharge my body and mind, to reconnect with my self, my intuition, and nature.

This is my own personal full moon ritual and it may not work for everyone. I highly encourage you to experiment and personalise your own ritual.

Full Wolf Moon Ritual

O Practice yoga or another light meditative exercise

O Cleanse and charge crystals and gemstones in the moonlight

O Make moon water

O Have a bath

O Trim hair

O Read and meditate

At the end of the day I will do a short yoga session to help my body relax, recharge and shed the tensions of the day. Afterwards I will place crystals and gemstones in the moonlight in a shallow dish of water outside to cleanse and charge them. I prefer to use crystals and stones that are associated with the month, for example: Hematite, Ruby, Selenite, Moonstone, Opal, Garnet, Jet, Onyx, and Obsidian. You can, of course use any you like. I will also set a glass of drinking water outside or on a window sill to absorb the moonlight. I will drink this glass of water the next day, but it can also be used for spells or blessings.

Then it’s time for a nice relaxing hot bath. For the wolf moon I will light pine scented candles and use epsom salts and lavender in the water. Usually in the bath I will listen to music or read, but for the full moon ritual I prefer to simply be in the water without any distractions so I can focus on my inner voice. The time of the full moon is said to promote growth and fertility so I will often trim my hair in order to encourage it to grow.

Finally, once I am clean and free from tension I will spend the rest of the evening reading and meditating. I will curl up by the fire with a cup of tea and read a book. Tonight in celebration of the wolf moon I will be reading The Book of Werewolves by Sabine Baring-Gould. I chose a book about werewolves as I want to explore the themes of transformation and connection to nature, as well as having an added element of horror which seems appropriate for the long winter nights. I will jot down my thoughts and ideas in my journal and then I’ll head off to bed. I will keep the curtains open to sleep in the moonlight and as I drift off I’ll listen for the distant howling of wolves.

May Day

Looking out the window today I see clusters of vibrant colours surrounded by an endless sea of greens. The freezing east wind of the past few days has been replaced by a soft warm breeze signalling that spring is here and summer is not far behind.

It’s a day full of possibilities and as such it motivates me to start this blog. A place where I can share my illustrations, small adventures and musings. Welcome to the season of beginnings, of longer days and warmer nights. Here you enter the woodland, the small fantastical world of magic, folklore, curious creatures, dark tangled thickets and fairytale cottages. Welcome and enjoy your stay!