Reflections of the harvest moon
Or spirits of the dead
Returned to walk the cooling nights
That signal summer’s end
I created this mandala art, titled Something Wicked, as a celebration of Samhain, known here as Halloween. Celebrated by the Celts, at least those living in the British Isles, Samhain is a recognition of summer’s end. Ancestors are felt to be close at hand in late October, able to cross thin places in the veil in order to help the living survive the long, cold days ahead. Beloved, beneficial spirits are, of course, always welcome, but, all manner of creepiness joins them in the night air. The woods at this time of year are especially eerie. Diabolical moth-like creatures and grinning nightjars arise from dry leaves littering the ground beneath the looming forms of trees. Blood drips from beneath mushroom caps, cast in a strange neon glow by a moon that seems not quite right in a greenish night sky. The stars look strangely… strange. Tis a good thing, yes, that the ancestors are here to help. Don’t forget to offer them your blessings.
Something Wicked is available in the shop as a Samhain or Halloween card. You can choose the message you’d like printed inside, in either English or Gaelic. You can also view this art in the gallery.
Linda Gribko
Linda Gribko is an avid gardener, naturalist, author, artist, and photographer living just outside Morgantown, West Virginia, on a one-acre property she calls Yellow Bird's Rest. She's been gardening since the age of three, when she was put to work plucking rocks from the family vegetable patch, and was gifted her first growlight set-up at the age of eight. Linda is best known for her wildflower photography and the digital mandala art she creates from her nature photos, but is also a mixed media artist and published author. Her quirky first novel, "Giving Voice to Dawn", was published in November 2016 and was followed up with "The Lion's Apprentice" in June 2020. The series follows the magical romp of a woman plucked by the Universe from the cubicles of Corporate America and dropped into the crease between "this world and that" where Spirit Animals carry messages, disembodied voices spout wisdom, and you never know who might show up to walk you back home.
