'The Witching Hour' series

After last year releasing my piece ‘Fly High on All Hallows Eve’ to celebrate Halloween 2018, I decided this year I wanted to go one better and do a series for Halloween 2019, all based on the theme ‘The Witching Hour’.

I set my mind racing and conjuring up different ideas of what has taken place on Halloween throughout time. Ancient rituals, animals which have become synonymous with Halloween, and medieval takes on witchcraft and it’s surrounding imagery. A large inspiration was exhibitions like Spellbound at the Ashmolean, but also my countless books, which have plenty of historical reference material to spark the senses.

There was quite a lot of complex (and to my mind well considered) thought behind each piece and it’s development. Largely one goal I wanted to achieve was to create my own Witch riding a flying goat piece, as it’s such an iconic image in the history of Witchcraft. This was one of the main aims of the series, but in the end it became so much more and took on a life of its own all reflecting what goes on under the moonlit sky.

In the end the series wound up being the 5 pieces you see here today. But that doesn’t mean to say there wasn’t  more ideas! I had thumbnail sketches around the theme of ‘the witch and her familiars’ as well as more mystical animals to unleash. But unfortunately I simply ran out of time. I knew the series had to be complete well before Halloween, especially if I was to have cards printed of the designs. So, these unfinished pieces will, for now, remain in their embryonic state. Perhaps I’ve got a head start for next Halloween!

‘The Witching Hour’ is now available as A4 prints (individually or as a set of 5) and select designs are available as postcards and greeting cards! Check them out here!: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/DanseMacabreUK

Demonology Prints

My recent reworking of my Demonology series has finally come to fruition and the series is completed at last. As all conceptual work, research and planning was completed when the original drawings were finished a couple of years ago. Meaning the reworking as been a reasonably straightforward exercise in pure art, which feels like a rather rare, carefree experience.

I've enjoyed completing the short series which is certainly a contrast compared to the mammoth undertaking of my Major Arcana. But that doesn't mean there aren't other Demons that need some infernal imagining ...

My Demonology series is now available to purchase from the Etsy store, as a set of prints, or individual prints, for more information Click here!

Demonology Reworking ...

A couple of years ago I began work on my own Demonology. To indulge in a little change and experimentation I decided to complete the works in pigment liner on white paper, a departure from my usual mixed media (or biro) on coffee stained paper. Once the pieces were complete I felt something was a little lacking and I hadn't quite achieved what I wanted. The designs themselves I was happy with, just not the end result. The pieces went into a drawer and remained an unitched scratch ... Until now.

After completing my Tarot series I began tying up some lose ends and began to consider which artworks and ideas Id like to revisit before my next mammoth series began. One thing I had always wanted to rework and do justice was my Demonology, and the time felt right.

I began reworking my Demons alongside researching symbolism for my next big series in an effort to balance research and practical work. I decided to approach the series from an illuminated manuscript angle, using rich, decadent colours, gilding and hoping the end result wouldn't look out of place in a medieval religious text. I'm currently striving to improve on my original designs in any way possible and make my new Demonology series a triumph to be proud of ...