Monday 28 February 2011

Saint Francis of Assisi by Tricia Danby

Saint Francis

Faber-Castell Watercolour-Pencils “Albrecht Dürer”
watercolour paper 300g/m²

Saint Francis of Assisi (Giovanni Francesco Bernardone; born 1181/1182 – October 3, 1226)

He is known as the patron saint of animals, the environment and Italy

As always I try to bring on paper what is revealed to me – when connecting with the spirit.

Sunday 20 February 2011

Daughter of Fál by Rowan Plantagenet


Daughter of Fál

Faber-Castell Watercolour-Pencils “Albrecht Dürer”
A 5 watercolour paper 300g/m²
This was a drawing for a very dear friend.
Fál or Lia Fáil is a kind of menhir that was said to be brought to Ireland by the Tuatha Dé Danann or the Sons of Míl.
[...]Narrow and as tall as a full-grown man, Fál was conventionally described as a ‘stone penis’. According to widely repeated tradition, Fál would roar or cry out under the feet of a legitimate king, or a man who aspired to kingship, who stepped upon it. A silent stone implied censure of the king who approached it. For this reason Fál became a learned and poetic synonym for Ireland and survives in several compounds, e.g. Inis Fáil (island of Fál). [...]
JAMES MacKILLOP. "Fál." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Retrieved February 20, 2011 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-Fl.html
Thus, "Daughter of Fàl" means "Daughter of Ireland".

Drinking Lavender by Rowan Plantagenet


Drinking Lavender

Saturday 19 February 2011

Sungod Helios by Tricia Danby

Sungod Helios

Faber-Castell Watercolour-Pencils “Albrecht Dürer”
watercolour paper 300g/m²

In Greek mythology, the sun was personified as Helios. He was regarded brother of the goddesses Selene, the moon, and Eos, the dawn. The names of these three were also the common Greek words for sun, moon and dawn.

Helios was imagined as a handsome god crowned with the shining aureole of the sun, who drove the chariot of the sun across the sky each day.

Later on Helios was more often identified with the god of light, Apollo. (However, they are not the same god!).
The equivalent of Helios in Roman mythology was Sol or even better said: Sol Invictus.

As usual – I did draw him the way I do see him. The rock formation you can see in the back is a place where I often find myself – when working as an energy healer with the energy of the Sungod Helios.

Inner song by Tricia Danby

Inner Song

Cainneach's Blessing by Rowan Plantagenet


I really love Celtic Blessings and I devote myself a lot to the old Celtic saints.
A month ago this was just there and wanted to be written down.

Friday 18 February 2011

Manannán mac Lir by Rowan Plantagenet


Manannán mac Lir

Faber-Castell Watercolour-Pencils “Albrecht Dürer”
watercolour paper 300g/m²
Manannán mac Lir is a Celtic/Welsh sea deity or a god of death.
He is said to be the son of Lir (also called Ler, which both means "sea" in Old Irish), a sea god in Irish mythology.
He is supposed to be even older than the Tuatha Dé Danann.
He is considered a ruler of the Otherworld and he is the guardian of the mists that shroud this world from ours. Sometimes he is portrayed as a "trickster" (I really don't like the word) and his cloak changes colours.

I did draw him the way I see him - and for me, his cloak changes its colour with the Irish sea. Here it is the stormy sea which mirrors in the colours.
He is also connected with the Fortunate Isles or Isles of the Blessed - where heroes and other favored mortals in Greek and Celtic mythology were received by the gods into a blissful paradise - and Mag Mell (meaning "plain of joy"), a mythical realm achievable through death and glory. Mag Mell is supposed to be an island far to the west of Ireland or a kingdom beneath the ocean. and was visitied by numerous Irish heroes and monks. Just like Tír na nÓg it's a place of eternal youth and beauty.
According to legend, Manannán possesses a boat that needs no sail and that was built without nails, the Wave Sweeper, a cloak made of mists which makes him invisible, a flaming helmet and a sword named Fragarach (the "avenger") that never misses its target. His horse Aonbharr of the Flowing Mane carries him above sea and ground and the god Lugh received many beautiful and magical gifts from him.

Wednesday 16 February 2011

Hildegard von Bingen by Tricia Danby

Hildegard von Bingen

Faber-Castell Watercolour-Pencils “Albrecht Dürer”
watercolour paper 300g/m²

Hildegard of Bingen (1098 – 17 September 1179), also known as Blessed Hildegard, Saint Hildegard, and Sybil of the Rhine, was a German abbess, author, counselor, linguist, naturalist, scientist, philosopher, physician, herbalist, poet, channeller, visionary, composer, and polymath.

Celtic Love by Tricia Danby

Celtic Love