Greenman Poster by Mickie Mueller 11 x 17 -

The Greenman is commonly seen as garden ornaments, and architectual detail throughout the ages. His lovely leafy countenance is a recurring theme in medieval art and decoration. You will even see him decorating many old churches and cathedrals. But the origins of Greenman are very deep and far reaching. He is a representation of the spirit of nature, of the forest and of the growing seasons. He is also known as Jack-in-the-Green, or The Man in the Oak. His spirit protects the trees and growing things in wild places. Greenman is the joyous and laughing God of growth and woods. Greenman is an excellent spirit to call upon for assistance when you are looking for prosperity and abundance. He also represents renewal and the endless ability for life to find a way. When you spy some green leaves pushing their way through cracks in the concrete, this is the strength of Greenman at work. When you are walking in the woods, you may spy him, if for only an instant peering through the trees at you. Look again, no, it`s only the leaves moving just right...or is it? I have seen him many times in my minds eye while spending time in wild places. You will know he is there by the warm safe feeling you will feel, as long as you are showing respect for his realm. 11"x17" acrylic and Berol Prismacolor pencils on Illustration board. By Mickie Mueller

Garnet Dragon Poster by Mickie Mueller 11 x 17-

Dragons area symbol of strength. They also express grace, beauty, and power. This is a creature of cunning, you don`t want to get into a battle of wits with a dragon! The tumultous year 2000 was the Chinese Year of the Dragon. The red dragon was the symbol on the legendary Arthur Pendragon`s crest, and is still the symbol on the Welsh flag today. Proud and majestic he soars over his homeland as its protector and mascot. Dragons have long been regarded with a mixture of curiosity and fear, their place in our psyche is undeniable. This dragon is the masculine "Yang", he is like the sun; hot, energetic and proactive. He soars over a formation of Garnets, a stone of passion, his talons gleam as he approaches his consort, the Crystal Dragon, to create balance. 11"x17" acrylic and Berol Prismacolor Pencils on Illustration board By Mickie Mueller

Faerie Guide by Mickie Mueller 11 x 17 -

There are many legends surrounding the Fey, or Faeries. In ancient (and not so ancient) times people had many names for them, Daoine Sidhe, Good Neighbors, The Gentry, People of Peace, Twlwyth Teg, and the People of the Hills to name a few. Faeries lived in lochs, lakes, and faerie hills below the earth. These enigmatic spirits were often associated with the Tuatha De Dannon, a mysterious tribe that came to Ireland long before the Druids were in power. It is considered wise to regard them with respect, as they are protectors of the land. They enjoy an occasional offering of bread or milk. It is believed that unseen faeries can be made visible by looking through a stone with a natural hole in it. Many a light bulb has blown due to the dancing feet of a slightly mischievous faerie. They love music. My lovely youngest daughter modeled for me. This faerie is a friendly guide of the Tuatha. She is clever, witty, and a fine tracker. She can guide any who wish to follow on a shamanic journey to the land of the Fey. Her season is Summer, her friends are the fireflies, and her spirit is laughter. 11"x17" acrylic and Berol Prismacolor pencils on Illustration board. By Mickie Mueller

Brighid Poster by Mickie Mueller 11 x 17 -

This ancient Celtic Goddess known as Brighid, (Brigit, Brid, Bride, etc...) is beloved to Ireland and the British Isles, as the keeper of the home`s hearth, patroness of healing, smith craft, fertility, poetry, and midwifery. Legend says that when she was born at sunrise, a tower of flame reached from the top of her head to the heavens. Her birth is said to have given the family house the appearance of being on fire. The household fire is sacred to Brighid, and each evening the woman of the house would smoor the fire, (cover it over to keep the fire overnight)` asking for the protection of Brighid on all its occupants. Brighid`s festival is Imbolc, or Candlemas and falls on February 2, and is the in between time after the winter solstice and before the spring equinox. It is the time the very first signs of impending spring become apparent, as the ewes and cows come into milk and prepare to give birth. This festival is usually celebrated by keeping a flame burning in the home, either in the fireplace or with candles to honor this fire Goddess, and invite her to bestow blessings upon the home. Traditional foods served during this time include dairy items such as milk and cheese. Many Irish households proudly display a Brighid`s Cross, an ornament made of rushes and hung in the home for protection, and to honor Brighid. She is one of the best historic examples of the survival of a Goddess in Christian records. During the time when Christianity moved into Celtic areas, her followers refused to give up their worship of Brighid, so the Church had no choice but to bring her into their fold by making her a saint. The most popular folk tale being that she was midwife to the Virgin Mary, and thus was always invoked and prayed to by woman in labor. There had been a shrine dedicated to the Goddess Brighid at Kildare, Ireland with a Perpetual Flame tended by 19 virgin priestesses called Daughters of the Flame. Their tradition was that each day a different Priestess was in charge of the Sacred Fire and on the 20th day of each cycle, the fire was miraculously tended by Brighid herself. When Catholicism took over Ireland, the Shrine became a convent and the virgin priestesses became nuns, but the same traditions held, and the Eternal Flame was kept burning. For over a thousand years, the Sacred Flame was tended by nuns, and no one knows how long before that it was kept by the priestesses. 11"x17" acrylic and Berol Prismacolor Pencils on Illustration board By Mickie Mueller

Beltane Grove Poster by Mickie Mueller 11 x 17 -

Beltane is an ancient holiday that is still celebrated in many parts of the world. Beginning on the eve of May Day, it marks the bright half of the year. The festival is named after the Celtic God, Belenos, who is a Sun diety. At this time of the year cattle were driven between bonfires for purification and fertility, in parts of Europe you can still see bonfires atop the hills at Beltane. The celebration of Beltane is one of fertility and ensuring that the eventual harvest will be abundant. A springtime "greening" ritual, dancing around the Maypole, honors the female and male principles of regeneration and creation. The May Queen and King represent the Goddess and God. This is a depiction of "The Great Rite", a beautiful symbolic ritual celebrating the joining of the God and Goddess. Priest and Priestess met in a quiet grove on a joyful Beltane evening. The chalice represents the life-waters of the Goddess, the blade represents the vitality of the God. When the two combine, the land is fertile and green. Some modern versions of this ritual have the roles reversed, with the Priestess presenting the chalice and the Priest the athame or blade. The version shown here is very old, going back to the roots of ritual nature worship in Europe, and points to the duality of man and woman, for each of us has both masculine and feminine aspects to ourselves. This piece was created for the good people at Children of Artemis (U.K.) for their third issue of Witchcraft & Wicca Magazine. It appeared on the cover of that issue. "Here where Lance and Grail unite, And feet, and knees, and breast, and lip". 11"x17" acrylic and Berol Prismacolor Pencils on Illustration board By Mickie Mueller

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