All Hallows Eve

(...)Cruel be the wind
As it quells my words
I shout out to the rain
Incantations I so hoped
You've heard
That you live again
From deep Earth
Brings forth rebirth
Witness but I shant believe
From below a chilling glow
On all...Hallows Eve!(...)"

'All Hallows Eve'
Written by Peter Steele
Performed by Type O Negative

I've always wanted to draw an allegorical illustration to honour this festivity, but somehow always missed the deadline and ended up just moving on.
This year, however, I've made it early with a piece I had in the backburner for a while and I finished in my (very little) spare time.

Halloween is, to us southerners, a northern celebration. Something we don't pay much attention to. But my being so much into mysticism, Celtic culture and overall spiritual rituals, October 31st has always held a fascinating hold over me.
To me, the festivity is a mix of various roots, but its main trunk will always be the celtic new year celebration of Samhain. It was during these mystical days that the celts believed the veil to the nether realms was thinner and thus, open to trespass from both sides.

What I've done in this illustration is tie that spirit up with what I deem is the most horrifying representation of the inevitable madness lying whithin the confines of time: The Old Ones of Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Through this piece, I pay honours to those witches of old, willing to bring forth the end of all things by opening the gates to the great beyond, from which Cthulhu, amongst many other terrible things, would emerge to consume us all.
The ecstasy the witch experiences and her bare beauty is that of someone accepting and embracing the chaotic nature of our world and ourselves, acknowledging and paying tribute to the horrific dimensions that haunt it and nurture our nightmares. Nightmares that would, at the very least, drive anyone insane.

But madness, as you see, is just a symptom of our denial and refusal to accept that it is in the face of horror that we learn to truly appreciate life.
That is what Halloween reminds us of. That there is something else right in front of us, veiled, envying our cheerful lives and expecting to embrace us all eventually.

I hope you enjoy this one and have a nice Samhain. The ancient ones will be watching.

Nic.-

PS.. I hope you don't mind that bit of rant, I love the subject as you see.