Samhain: A Time of Remembrance: Special Edition Blog
The nights are stretching out longer now, and there’s that certain crispness in the air that whispers change is coming. It’s time for our Samhain gathering here on the blog, a moment to honour the turning of the Wheel and the ancestors who walk beside us.
Hello creative alchemists,
The nights are stretching out longer now, and there’s that certain crispness in the air that whispers change is coming. It’s time for our Samhain gathering here on the blog, a moment to honour the turning of the Wheel and the ancestors who walk beside us.
A Cuppa and a Catch Up
In last week’s blog, I shared a little about how, living here in the Southern Hemisphere, Samhain aligns closely with ANZAC Day.
Growing up in a military family, ANZAC Day has always held deep meaning for me. It's not just a public holiday; it’s a personal day of remembrance. Since the Boer War, members of my family have been involved in almost every conflict Australia has seen.
So, when I pause on April 25th to honour the ANZACs, I’m also honouring my own bloodlines, my ancestors, and the stories they carried, stories of survival, sacrifice, strength, and deep resilience.
It feels fitting that Samhain, the festival of remembrance, weaves so closely into this sacred time.
In Flanders Fields - Original Painting by Ange Foster
Art Witch Musings: The Origins and History of Samhain
Samhain (pronounced Sow-in) is one of the four major fire festivals in the ancient Celtic calendar, marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It falls halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice, a true liminal space where endings and beginnings meet.
For the ancient Celts of Ireland, Scotland, and parts of Britain, Samhain was the most important festival of the year. It was believed that during this time, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead grew thin. Spirits could cross over more easily, and humans could reach across the divide through dreams, divination, and ritual.
Bonfires were lit across the hills to ward off wandering spirits and to offer light in the growing darkness. People would extinguish their home hearth fires and relight them from the communal bonfire, symbolising unity and renewal for the whole community.
Offerings of food and drink were left out for the ancestors and the 'Good Folk', the fae, who were especially active during this time.
Samhain wasn't a festival of fear, it was a deeply respectful time, an acknowledgment that death is simply part of life’s cycle. A pause. A breath. A sacred in-between.
In many ways, our modern practices like Halloween echo this older, earth-based wisdom, even if some of the nuances have been lost along the way.
Misty Samhain Morning in the Austrialan Bush
Working with Samhain in the Studio
Samhain is an incredible time to lean into shadow work and explore the themes of memory, loss, transformation, and rebirth in our creative practice.
Here are some ways you can weave the magic of this season into your art:
Ancestor Altars: Set up a small corner of your studio space with photos, mementos, or objects that connect you to your ancestors or beloved dead. Let their energy inspire your work. Light a candle in their honour as you begin creating.
Shadow Collages: Play with darker colours, torn edges, layered textures, and hidden imagery. Let yourself make art that feels raw, messy, honest.
Release Rituals: Write down what you are ready to release on scraps of paper. Burn them safely in a cauldron or fireproof dish or tear them into tiny pieces and collage them into a background, transforming them into something new.
Crows and Symbols: Crows, bones, bare branches, seeds tucked into cold earth, these are the icons of Samhain. Let them find their way into your sketches, paintings, or journal pages.
Divination Drawing: Try pulling a card before you begin your studio session and allow it to shape your theme or palette for the day.
Remember: Samhain art is not about perfection. It’s about authenticity.
Let your hands be guided by your spirit, not your inner critic.
Art Journal Prompt
"What stories am I ready to release, and what deeper truths am I ready to honour?"
Let this question guide your next art journal page.
Work intuitively, let colour, line, texture, and symbol speak louder than words. Trust that whatever rises to the surface is exactly what needs to be witnessed.
Art Journal spread
Samhain Oracle Reading — 3 Card Spread
I pulled three cards for us, asking what energies we should honour this Samhain:
1. What needs to be honoured:
The Ancestor — Your bloodline and spirit line are present. Honour the sacrifices, dreams, and love that brought you here. You carry them forward.2. What needs to be released:
The Mask — The need to pretend, to "perform" for others. Samhain calls you to lay down the masks and let your truest self breathe.3. What is emerging:
The Seed — A quiet spark of new beginnings is stirring beneath the surface. Tend to it gently. It’s not time for full bloom yet, but trust that it’s growing.
Take a moment to sit with these cards. Maybe even pull your own and see what additional messages come through.
🎶Samhain Playlist
To honour the turning of the Wheel, I’ve also created a special playlist for this liminal time — weaving together songs that speak to both the fire of Beltaine in the Northern Hemisphere and the deep introspection of Samhain here in the South.
Light a candle, pour a cuppa, and let the music guide you as you journal, create, or simply sit with the energies of the season.
A Little Reminder
If you’re feeling drawn to crow energy this season (and honestly, how could you not, crows are the messengers between worlds!), don’t forget:
🖤 My Crow Series is available my Redbubble store! 🖤
There are prints, stickers, journals, perfect companions for your Samhain altar or seasonal space.
Visit My Redbubble Store Here,
That’s it for this special Samhain edition, creative souls.
May this season bless you with deep connection, sweet remembrance, and the courage to move forward with open hearts.
Until next time,
Mabon: Welcoming the Autumn Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere
As the wheel turns and we step into the autumn equinox, or Mabon, we find ourselves in a moment of balance. Day and night are equal, a fleeting pause before the darkness slowly begins to overtake the light. Here in the Southern Hemisphere, autumn doesn’t always look like the classic imagery of crisp air and golden leaves, our climate and landscapes tell a different story. But the shift is still felt deep in our bones. The days become shorter…..
An Art Witch’s Mabon Altar
As the wheel turns and we step into the autumn equinox, or Mabon, we find ourselves in a moment of balance. Day and night are equal, a fleeting pause before the darkness slowly begins to overtake the light. Here in the Southern Hemisphere, autumn doesn’t always look like the classic imagery of crisp air and golden leaves, our climate and landscapes tell a different story. But the shift is still felt deep in our bones. The days become shorter, the air carries a different weight, and our bodies and minds begin adjusting to the seasonal transition.
The Energetics of Autumn
Autumn has always been a season of preparation. For our ancestors, this time was about gathering the final harvest, preserving food, and ensuring survival through the colder months. While we no longer need to store grains or cure meats for winter, we still experience a deep instinct to prepare. But instead of stacking firewood or preserving fruit, we turn inward, taking stock of where we are, what we need, and how we want to approach the coming months.
Physically, we may feel a pull to slow down. The pace of summer’s outward energy starts to wane, replaced by a need for warmth, comfort, and introspection. Emotionally, this can be a time of reflection, an opportunity to process what we’ve experienced and decide what we’re ready to release. Our creativity can shift too, moving from expansive, high-energy projects to more intimate, detail-focused work.
Creativity in the Cooler Months
For me, autumn and winter are deeply tied to my art journal practice. As the weather cools, I find comfort in working on individual pages, layering textures, words, and colours that reflect my inner world. There’s something about the ritual of journaling that feels particularly potent in the colder months. Art witchery and art magick thrive in this space, where creativity meets personal ceremony. This is the time to embrace the intimacy of creating just for yourself, without the pressure to share or produce for an audience.
Autumn Studio Tunes Playlist
As I settle into the slower pace of autumn, my studio is filled with the sounds that help me get into the zone. Music is such an integral part of my creative process, and in the cooler months, I find myself gravitating toward mellow, soulful tunes that nurture my introspective energy.
I've curated a special Autumn Studio Tunes playlist on Spotify to share with you, these tracks have been my go-to for getting into a creative flow this season. Feel free to follow and press play while you read, journal, or work on your own creative projects.
What’s on your playlist for this season? Let me know on the socials!
Art Witchery & Art Magick
This brings me to something I want to introduce more into my work: #LittleWitchyThings and #ArtWitchTips, simple ways to weave magick into your art practice. You may have seen some of these I have already started to share over on the socials. But what exactly is an Art Witch, and what is Art Magick?
An Art Witch is someone who blends creative practice with intuitive and spiritual work. Art becomes a form of spellcraft, a way to connect with unseen energies, process emotions, and manifest intentions. Art Magick is about infusing your work with meaning, whether it’s through symbolism, intentional colour choices, or the physical rituals you bring into your creative space.
Rituals for the Studio
You don’t need elaborate tools or complex ceremonies to bring ritual into your creative practice. Simple things can shift the energy of your space and deepen your connection to your work:
Light a candle to set an intention for your creative session.
Burn incense or diffuse essential oils that align with the mood you want to cultivate.
Make an intention-infused cup of tea—stirring in energy for focus, clarity, or inspiration.
Use sigils or symbols in your art to encode meaning and intention.
Create a small seasonal altar in your studio with natural elements that reflect the time of year.
Closing the Cycle: Mabon to Samhain
As we finish this phase of #CyclesOfCraft, we now step into the next, Mabon to Samhain (March 20 to April 30). This period deepens the themes of transition and release. It’s a time to honour what we’ve created, reflect on what we’ve learned, and prepare for the darker half of the year.
Over the next six weeks, I’ll be exploring ways to bring more ritual into my creative practice, leaning into the slowness of the season, and allowing my art to hold space for the shifts happening internally. Whether you’re a painter, writer, crafter, or journal keeper, I invite you to do the same, find the magick in the process and let your creativity be a sanctuary.
#CyclesOfCraft
Mabon Art Journal Prompt
Mabon is a time of balance and gratitude, a moment to pause and honour both what we’ve gained and what we are ready to release. As we shift towards the darker half of the year, let’s reflect on this seasonal transition.
Prompt: What are you harvesting in your life right now? What lessons, experiences, or creative projects have come to fruition? As the wheel turns, what are you ready to let go of to make space for new growth?
You can explore this prompt through words, colours, symbols, or imagery that represents this seasonal shift for you.
Free Mabon Colouring Page
To celebrate the season, I’ve created a free Mabon colouring page with an Australian twist! Featuring a wombat, an Australian raven, and native botanicals, this piece is a way to honour the unique beauty of our autumn here in the Southern Hemisphere. You can download it here. and use it as a mindful creative ritual during this time of transition.
Mabon Colouring Page
Mabon Sale – 25% Off in My Redbubble Store!
As we welcome the shift in seasons, I’m offering 25% off everything in my Redbubble store for a limited time! This is the perfect opportunity to grab prints, stickers, and other art-inspired goodies infused with the magick of the seasons. Head over to my store to check it out!
How do you experience autumn? Do you find your creativity shifting with the season? Let’s chat in, and keep over on the socials, and keep an eye out for more #LittleWitchyThings and #ArtWitchTips coming soon!
25% off Sale storewide at my redbubble store