[Art] Baba Yaga.

[moonvoice]

Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga has been reduced to a folklore figure, but sources strongly suggest that she was originally worshipped as a goddess; and that is certainly how I see her.

Those who have heard of Baba Yaga, know of her often as the antagonist in the story of 'Baba Yaga and Vasilissa the Brave.' They know of her flying around in a mortar, living in a home that spins on chicken legs (or a single leg, depending on the country). It is lesser known that she is associated heavily with animals like the pelican and the snake. As well as cats, geese and black hounds.

Not an easy goddess to work with by a long shot, and never one I would have consciously chosen to work with. But the truths she shows me, while they always make me feel older, enrich my life regardless.

Tolere, Vavale.

And sorry about the quality of the picture, I can't scan pieces this large, and the flash mangled some of the colouring. I'm hoping to get a better quality picture in better lighting tomorrow or the next day. :)










27.5 x 39 centimetres on
cold-pressed illustrator's board
fineliner, pencil, watercolour pencil, acrylic, gouache

Comments

[sannion.livejournal.com]

AMAZING

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you. i'm quite happy with it too.

[bewylderbeast.livejournal.com]

My goodness. This is amazing. And I love how you managed to incorporate her cat into this image. x

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you. the cat was the biggest challenge of all. it wanted to be a big part of the picture without actually being a big part of the picture.

[jet-ski.livejournal.com]

the cat really didn't want to be drawn did he!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

no! wanted to be big without being big! it was really hard to get the cat 'right.' and i feel i did, but my poor eraser got a huge workout.

[lupabitch.livejournal.com]

Chills. Just chills. Holy shite, P., I think this may be the best piece I've seen you do.

[lupabitch.livejournal.com]

Also, S. said to say that agrees on its awesomeness.

[sidheblessed.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. Just stunning. I love how you wroked the cat into it, I had to look twice. :) SO outdone yourself this time!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you!

[myrrhmade.livejournal.com]

OMG! I LOVE THIS!

This is exactly the style I would love for one of my children's stories. *want* *lust* *need*

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

hmm i've been thinking about this, the only thing is, i am so terrible at drawing male characters / people.

[chironcentaur.livejournal.com]

Wow. Just wow.

[apocalypsegrrl.livejournal.com]

Ditto.

[foxfeather.livejournal.com]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you. :)

[witchchild]

I'm with Lupa. This may be the best piece I've ever seen of your work.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you. wow.

[crowebasalt.livejournal.com]

that is amazing. simply stunning and creepy and wow. i love it.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you. i like the creepiness factor. i have it in the lounge, so i see creepiness a lot. :)

[amhrantine.livejournal.com]

Heh, I had to look twice for the cat, too. I'm intrigued by the little symbols in the vines coming from her hair. Kind of like a language.
Love the darkness in her eyes. She looks oddly familiar.
I think many of the old gods have been reduced to semi-divine figures of folklore, but old gods they are nonetheless.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I'm intrigued by the little symbols in the vines coming from her hair. Kind of like a language.

*nods* it kind of is. it was part of what made this piece so hard to do, but so worthwhile.

[rainsingingwolf.livejournal.com]

Wow! Wow! Wow! I just can't get over the detail and use of color in this!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you!

[feralkiss.livejournal.com]

This is excellent work. :)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you. :)

[liondaughter.livejournal.com]

Agree with the above. But more importantly, how does She like it?

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

well she's not asking me to destroy it (which is, imho, a plus), i think she cares more that i did something for her that took a significant amount of time and energy, than about the piece itself now.

[bodylove.livejournal.com]

wow very cool

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you.

[ariestess]

Oh wow! That's fucking gorgeous! 'Scuse my french. *heh*

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

heh, i swear all the time, i don't mind!
and thank you. :)

[psychrobia149.livejournal.com]

WOW......when I'm looking at the images, I feel like Baba Yaga is living inside the art. WOW! :)

Beautiful P, and I'm so glad you've created this one! :)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you!
i've been thinking about your advice too re: art email, and yeah, i'm definitely going to jack my prices up. glen saw your email (or the parts i shared with him) and was like 'DUH, pia.' lol.

[earthguardian.livejournal.com]

EPIC

At first I didnt see the cat, but then I took a second look and BAM!
This is really amazing!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

heh. thank you. that cat really was a challenge. it had to be big without being 'the first thing you look at.' enough people have said they didn't notice it the first time, and that's just perfect.

Chicken Legs & Flying Mortars

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

She is just right.

When you first started talking about painting Baba Yaga, this is the picture I expected to see, even though I didn't know what it would look like til today. Does that make any sense?

(I'm also re-reading Women Who Run With the Wolves by C. P. Estes & I just read the chapter about Vasalisa the Wise a night or two ago, lol)

Re: Chicken Legs & Flying Mortars

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Does that make any sense?

it does. at first when i started sketching it, i felt exactly the same way. i didn't know exactly what colours i'd be using until right at the end, i didn't know what i was going to put into it as i was doing it... and then at the end, it was exactly the way it was supposed to be.

[erl-queen.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. That is just stunning, it gives me chills. You definitely captured her in this.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you.

[white9-fox.livejournal.com]

THE CAT! XD

Reminds me of Boulet's habit of incorporating eyes into the subjects' hair and whatnot. Not that I think you intentionally tried to do that like she does, it's a compliment <3

It's beautiful, my favorite picture from you yet.

But now I'm reminded of Hansel and Gretal...maybe you're right, some of those old folktale figures are old gods. That'll be interesting to look into.

Other than that, I'm glad to see that my imaginings of her wasn't too far off, lol. Just got the nose shape wrong XD;

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

who is Boulet? /professes great ignorance.

the nose was actually pretty conservative. in some of the myths it's so big that she has to roll it up to actually be able to walk. ;)

[corvus-coronis.livejournal.com]

You did well.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you.

[irismoonlight.livejournal.com]

...

Is this one for sale?

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

sell the first illustration of my patron goddess?
no, this is hers, to do with as she sees fit. thankfully she hasn't wanted me to burn it, but i doubt i could sell a gift intended for her.

[mutantenemy.livejournal.com]

For some reason LJ ate my comment. So I shall repost. :)

You have honored Her well.

Striking and spirit provoking.

Brava.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you very much.

[vanirpriestess.livejournal.com]

This is awesome. I love the cat eyes through Her hair.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you. :)