Glastonbury Wytches' Market
Tomorrow, Saturday 7th April, I will be in Glastonbury, taking part in the Wytches' Market.
www.wytchesmarket.co.uk
I've been taking part in this market for a number of years now; it has a great atmosphere, lots of exciting and unusual stalls, and friendly stallholders.
Usually my best sellers are the A4 prints, especially the hare. People often ask me what the hare symbolises; this isn't an easy question to answer, as the hare represents so much in so many different cultures. Certainly the main meaning of the hare universally is regeneration; in the UK we see the hare in greater numbers in the Spring, so it represents new beginnings. We associate hares (or more recently rabbits) with Easter and eggs (another symbol of growth and rebirth). But there are some interesting associations with witchcraft; we usually think of a witch's familiar as a cat, but there are stories of witches transforming into hares and escaping into the undergrowth on speedy legs. In the Middle Ages hares were seen as a sign of bad luck (a bit like the poor Magpie today, or the black cat that crosses your path - personally I would take both of these to be good omens!) and this is well illustrated by the poem 'Names of the Hare', where a man comes across a hare and goes through a list of names, insulting him and thus lessening his power. Below is an illustration of mine, which includes the original poem in Middle English and the translation.
On a lighter note, here are some earrings and crystal hangers that I've made specially for tomorrow.
A special Thank you to Becca Jones, for the gift of the jewellery tree!
As well as all-things-hare I will have quite a few sausage dog bits and pieces.
And a few cats!
But mostly hares!
www.wytchesmarket.co.uk
I've been taking part in this market for a number of years now; it has a great atmosphere, lots of exciting and unusual stalls, and friendly stallholders.
Usually my best sellers are the A4 prints, especially the hare. People often ask me what the hare symbolises; this isn't an easy question to answer, as the hare represents so much in so many different cultures. Certainly the main meaning of the hare universally is regeneration; in the UK we see the hare in greater numbers in the Spring, so it represents new beginnings. We associate hares (or more recently rabbits) with Easter and eggs (another symbol of growth and rebirth). But there are some interesting associations with witchcraft; we usually think of a witch's familiar as a cat, but there are stories of witches transforming into hares and escaping into the undergrowth on speedy legs. In the Middle Ages hares were seen as a sign of bad luck (a bit like the poor Magpie today, or the black cat that crosses your path - personally I would take both of these to be good omens!) and this is well illustrated by the poem 'Names of the Hare', where a man comes across a hare and goes through a list of names, insulting him and thus lessening his power. Below is an illustration of mine, which includes the original poem in Middle English and the translation.
On a lighter note, here are some earrings and crystal hangers that I've made specially for tomorrow.
A special Thank you to Becca Jones, for the gift of the jewellery tree!
As well as all-things-hare I will have quite a few sausage dog bits and pieces.
And a few cats!
But mostly hares!
