the cathartic nature of art and ritual

Sometimes, we find that our creativity urges us to seek new outlets, or revisit and reinvent old ones. For me, this has taken the form of creating headdresses of late, which is a craft in which I used to indulge many years ago when attending my first Renaissance festivals and SCA or historical re-enactment events. They begin simply, as most crafts do, but have since evolved

into something a little more.... ritualistic. As stated in a previous post, my spirituality and spiritual practice has begun to play a much larger role in my creative expression these past many months. Somewhat due to the mental exhaustion of quarantine but mostly as a general balm for my mental health, as a whole, which has been much in need of outlets healthier than ice cream and chips (ahem). 

As a practicing pagan for more than 30 years, the idea of ritual has played a prominent role in my day-to-day life. It's important to make a ritual of even the simplest tasks because within this ritual is a cleansing of the spirit and release of negative thoughts. Much like journaling (another passion of mine) is used to dust off the day, whether of a happy nature or not, the same can be said for cleaning, organizing, photography, and creating in its many forms. We can pour the pent-up energies of our lives into these projects and tasks, and free ourselves for new experiences. 

With this in mind, I began to craft these new headdresses as an expression of what I felt I lacked in spirit, or what I had an abundance of, in order to release them into the ether and let that energy live a life of its own, to affect my own life or not, as it chose. This may sound too esoteric or eccentric for many, which is understandable, however, I've approached the creation of my jewelry in this manner for many years and been better for it. 

I don't expect these to make regular appearances in my shop, as part of a collection, as my creative outlets shift over the months to suit what I need to express mentally or spiritually. Perhaps simpler versions may appear with wire wrap adornments, perhaps these will be all there will ever be (at least for some time). So, if you'd like to add a little meaningful ritual to your day, I'd urge you to take a look at my creations. Should you find yourself in possession of one, wear it. Wear it every day. Walk around the house in it. Feel like a wood witch, a goddess, a queen of your own making. Wear it to ritual, if it suits you to do so, or during cosplay and festivals for fun.

​Wear it, simply, because you can.

Headdresses