Cheiranthus – The Faerie Messenger – 12×16″ Fairy Art Print

Cheiranthus – The Night Scent

The night is a pit in my stomach that will not be fed,Carrion is the scent of the ravens feast upon the dead.

But this world has no bonds on me to keep,will the ever elusive dawn of life rest me from this sleep.

Oh my love your northern light it shines so bright,lest I should travel night upon night, your ever shifting curtain of light.

The dead be damned in their eternal silence,I am unto them the end, a death shroud of violence.

Long night of the soul ‘neath the wax and the waneMy companions an ebbing river upon which we may yet embrace again.

Evolution of the Faerie painting – Cheiranthus

Introducing the enchanting artwork, ‘Nightstock,’ an ethereal painting that unveils the captivating world of fairies. This bewitching artwork, following the success of my previously published fairy piece, became the cornerstone of my immersive World War Fae saga. Dive into the mystique of the original ‘Nightstock’ fairy painting that set the stage for an extraordinary narrative.

As the night unfolded during countless solitary hours, it was just the canvas, my imagination, and the brush, weaving a tale of mystery and intrigue. The darkness of twilight guided me into the recesses of the human psyche, transforming the fairy’s demeanor into a more sinister and solitary entity. She exudes an aura of enigmatic beauty, a creature that doesn’t easily blend into the whimsical fairy realms. Yet, beneath her mysterious exterior lies a tortured love for Aurora, reflecting echoes of past relationships in my own life.

In my quest for authenticity, I delved into extensive research to discover a flower that would aptly embody her essence and personality. The result was a profound connection between the fairy and a carefully chosen flower, enriching the narrative with symbolism and depth.

This mesmerising faerie, with her darker undertones, serves as a conduit to explore the profound themes of death, rebirth, and the transcendence of existence. As I contemplated World War Fae the inevitable cycle of life and death, the concept of traversing into another life and world took shape. ‘Cheiranthus’ emerged as the intermediary of the soul, a guide through the ethereal realms and a keeper of the mysteries that lie beyond.

Embark on a journey into the depths of the human soul as ‘Cheiranthus’ beckons you to explore the realms of love, darkness, and the eternal cycle of life. Immerse yourself in the rich narrative woven into this painting, where every brushstroke tells a tale of longing, solitude, and the transcendence of the spirit. You may not see it at first but look closely and you will find the flower, her namesake, still there woven into her past, her present and her future.

Experience the magic of the World War Fae story, where fantasy meets introspection, and the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur. Join me on this captivating exploration, where art becomes a portal to another dimension, and every stroke on the canvas unveils a new chapter in the enchanting saga.

Call to Action

If you would like to see this faeries story come to life then please support my journey by purchasing a print or getting involved on my Patreon.

The magic of Cheiranthus

The flower Nightstock is known to have both curative and toxic qualities as it can be used to remedy paralysis and impotence as well as an expectorant in bronchitis. However it can only be used in very small doses, too much and it is quite toxic and is therefore little used in herbal medicines. It is also known to be an aphrodisiac. You can see how well this flower epitomises the character of Cheiranthus!

Ravens in Celtic Mythology

Ravens figure heavily in Celtic mythology and legend. They were linked to darkness and death – especially the death of warriors in battle. Celtic war goddesses often took the form of a raven. In “The Dream of Rhonabwy”, the knight Owein battles King Arthur in a dream world assisted by ravens. Some tales suggest that the great King Arthur himself was turned in to a raven upon his death.

Many of the Celtic goddesses are linked with the raven or crow. In this mythology the goddesses are the aggressive deities, those associated with war and death. Badb, Macha and Nemain are all associated with crows and/or ravens, as is Nantosuelta, a Gaulish water and healing goddess. The wife of the Fomorian sea-god, Tethra, was said to be a crow goddess who also hovered above battlefields, and Scottish myth has the Cailleach Bheure, who often appeared in crow form. The association of the birds with death and war is an obvious reflection of its tendency to eat carrion, plenty of which is to be found in the aftermath of battle. This tendency led, eventually, to the persecution of the raven, as a harbinger of doom and destruction, and also to the common notion in modern European culture that the main attribute of Crow and Raven is their connection with the Otherworld. Upon Cuchulainnâs death, the Morrigan perched on his shoulder in the form of a raven.

“To have a raven’s knowledge” is an Irish proverb meaning to have a seer’s supernatural powers. The raven is considered to be one of the oldest and wisest of all animals.

Ravens were the favourite bird of the god Lludd, the Celtic god of artists and artisans. He was said to have two ravens to attend to all of his needs (similar to Odin and his ravens Muninn and Huginn).