Happy Halloween!

Did you know that the celebration of October 31, commonly known as Halloween in North America, derives from the ancient pagan tradition of Samhain, a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or the "darker half" of the year?

In ancient Gaelic cultures, Samhain was the start of the Celtic New Year, an intensely spiritual time when different dimensions of reality came closer. It was believed that at this time the Celtic underworld became visible as the sidhe or fairy mounds, which were believed to be portals to the Otherworld, were opened. A new fire was kindled on the eve of Samhain and from this sacred flame all the fires in Ireland were rekindled, offering protection against the darkness and ritual cleansing to begin the new year.

Risen | 18 x 24 in | oil on canvas | 2019

To mark this time of seasonal change and spiritual revitalization, I’d like to share with you one of my favorite original oil paintings called Risen. Inspired by the phoenix, itself a symbol of cyclical regeneration, this piece speaks of personal power, perseverance, and hope beyond the darkness.