Yeehaa!!! Celebrating Pagan Culture’s 3rd Blogoversary Party

BECAUSE it's Friday the 13th & it's about time I posted!

Well I have soo much to tell you, but I have decided to not blab away your ENTIRE day because you busy bloggers have places to go, parties to attend & art to see... so the story of the 12 foot python in my living room will have to wait (it's TRUE, wrapped itself up around my... hang on I'm getting way off track)... 


I got to tell you those interested in some good great reading & super (megaloads) of giveaways get on over to my pal (& wickedly talented) Magaly's Sexy, Dark & Bloody Fiction Party I have hosted one of the many prizes on offer (here) along with some of the sweetest darlin's in blogland, such as my bestie Stacy from MagicLoveCrow, the gorgeous Mina from Green Witch with Sprinkles, but those are only appetisers because...THERE'S A SMORGASBORD of prizes at this WICKED party AND enough reading to have you enthralled all weekend :)


I have been away, so I will be back visiting ya-all this weekend... spent time at one of my fave places... Wooli, A slice of paradise, truthfully, like being beamed back in time to the sixties (maybe 50's?), no internet, ocean just over the dunes & river at the back door, flora & fauna in abundance... I was looking for my muse, she took off a couple of weeks before me...  


Now, Magaly's party theme is Stereotypes... I wrestled with the concept, I don't & never have fallen for the 'stereotypical' image, whether it's related to age, occupation, wealth or social status it's makes life 2 dimensional when it should be 4, it's simple, it's lazy, takes away complexities & rainbows of colour that make life so awesome... 


So, how to turn around the witch stereotype? I had Disney images dancing in my head, and then I finally realised what I wanted to do... The witch BEFORE she was made into a stereotype... 


Soo, My muse whispered in my ear - The below artwork is done on a washed up, sea ravaged piece of driftwood the ocean offered me as a canvas last week, and I painted yesterday... yes I left it to the last minute, that flighty muse was elusive ;)

Many witches were burned to death, tied to a wooden stake, on top a pile of kindling - real or imagined abilities such as levitation, apparitions, visions, these people were branded 'false saints' - witches... one of these was Joan of Arc... St Joan of Arc... so the talents & powers of a witch was also that of a saint... sort of makes that evil Disney version a little off base?


So witches aren't just those little old hooked nosed women, casting evil spells, eating children, turning milk sour and flying around on a broomstick & saints aren't always cloistered nuns (bless 'em) they can be warriors, they can be witches... 


These (mainly) females, were mothers, siblings, and far from the images we see portrayed in popular media the only thing they really had in common, was they were all victims of prejudice & injustice and campaigns to make them seem evil, I wanted to show the human face, the face of hope, despair, courage, because I think the making of the 'witch' stereotype made it easier to forget the human tragedy of their plight.

OK have a great weekend & also anyone who makes a comment here on this Party Post... goes into barrel (well randomiser anyway) to win a $20 voucher at my SunshineShelle Etsy shop :) 

Winner drawn Wednesday 18th April

Oh don't forget as well as Pagan Cultures 3rd Blogoversary Party it's Paint Party Friday where the lovely Eva & Kristin as your ever lovely hosts!