A bad witch's blog: art

Showing posts with label art. Show all posts

Tuesday, 15 September 2026

Crafting Dilemma: Was I Wrong to Rip Up a Book?

I so enjoyed making a junk journal last month that I signed up for an online course to learn more about collaging with scrap paper. The photo at the top shows one I made. The course was with Catherine Rains. It consisted of 5 video classes over 10 days showing how to turn scraps of paper into material suitable for a work of art, then how to put them together into pictures.

The paper includes things you might have around the house like magazines, tissue paper, and regular white paper, but also old books. I admit to having a twinge of conscience over using that last thing as part of the project. Going through my shelves I found a very tatty book of psalms and common prayers from my school days. It was decades old and falling apart, I have no personal attachment to it as I've never been a member of the Church of England and I'm now Pagan.

But, despite all that and the fact that the book isn't rare and no charity shop would want it, it still felt sacrilegious to destroy any book, let alone one connected to any spiritial path. I got over my qualms and tore out pages, painted them, ripped them up, and glued patches as part of the collage.

What do you think? Should I have tried to find a different book? Is it wrong to destroy any book just for the sake of art?

Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Other previous related posts

https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/07/upcycling-crafts-pretty-paper-hand-fan.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/03/upcycling-crafts-paper-flowers-from.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/04/craft-slow-stitch-scraps-and-scents-egg.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/01/rounding-year-time-to-start-new-journal.html

Saturday, 29 August 2026

Art: Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam at the RA

I went to see Richard Dadd exhibition that's currently on at the Royal Academy of Arts. The Victorian artist is best known for his fairy scenes drawn from Shakespearean subjects, but he also depicted pagan subjects and believed ancient mythology was still relevant.

Recognised early for his skill at rendering detail, Dadd was invited in 1842 on an ambitious tour across the Eastern Mediterranean that would shape the course of his life and work. The experience had a profound influence on his artistic imagination, but the itinerary was rushed and Dadd began experiencing delusions. On his return to England, he killed his father, believing his true father to be the Egyptian God Osiris, and fled to France where he was apprehended. He spent the remaining four decades of his life in hospitals – first at Clermont north of Paris, then at Bethlem in Lambeth and finally at Broadmoor in Berkshire. During this time, he continued to work from memory, imagination and earlier sketches.

What I found particularly interesting was that Dadd could be said to have held pagan beliefs beyond his delusions about his father. For example, one of the pictures in the exhibition, Esculapius Discovered by Shepherds on the Mountain (pictured), was done as a nativity scene, but instead of showing the birth of Jesus, shows that of the Greek God of medicine Aesculapius, which was also attended by shepherds according to legends. Information next to the painting reads:

"Dadd was convinced that nothing of importance had changed since the times of the great ancient civilisations, the remains of which he had encountered on his travels. He saw all human history as cycling back to these founding cultures."

In his early life, after studying at the Royal Academy, Dadd made his name by exhibiting his fairy paintings, which reveal his mastery of elaborate detail and evocation of the uncanny. He continued to work while at Bethlem and Broadmoor Hospitals. At Bethlem, he returned to the Shakespearean fairy subjects of his youth, and produced some of his most celebrated works, including Contradiction. Oberon and Titania, 1854-58, and The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke, 1855-64.

Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam is on until 25 October at the Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD Tickets are £15. https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/

Photos: Richard Dadd, Contradiction. Oberon and Titania, 1854-58. Oil on canvas, 61 x 75.5 cm. Private Collection. Photo © David Parmiter; Richard Dadd, Esculapius Discovered by Shepherds on the Mountain (1851); Richard Dadd, The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke, 1855-64. Oil on canvas, 54 x 39.4 cm. Tate: Presented by Siegfried Sassoon in memory of his friend and fellow officer Julian Dadd, a great-nephew of the artist, and of his two brothers who gave their lives in the First World War 1963. Photo: Tate

Thursday, 2 July 2026

Pagan Eye: Catalpa Tree Blossom on a London Street

This beautiful blossom is on a catalpa tree growing near where I live in London, SE20. I photographed it with another flower behind it - an example of the street art that has also bloomed in the area.

At one time catalpa trees, or bean trees, were relatively rare in England. They're native to America. However, in recent years they've been planted more frequently in gardens and beside roads in my country because they're really pretty with heart-shaped leaves and huge blossom in summer rather than spring. Long bean pods appear in the autumn.

Many years ago I blogged about the Rochester catalpa tree. I tried to research what it meant in folklore and for magic, but didn't come up with much. Googling on the topic again, I learnt that now people are saying it can represent a huge range of things including tenacity, beauty, connection to spirit, and love. None of the sites mentioned their sources.

Apparently the tree has very long tap roots and can survive in areas with little rainfall, so I'd like to think it represents both beauty and tenacity in difficult situations.

If you are in the SE20 area, there's another bean tree in Crystal Palace Park and it's listed in a tree trail you can do. Here's the link: https://crystalpalaceparktreetrail.wordpress.com/

On each Pagan Eye post, I show a photo that I find interesting, with a few words about it. I'm not quite sure what I'll be including - it could be a seasonal image, a pagan site, an event, or just a pretty picture. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself and you must confirm that you are submitting it for A Bad Witch's Blog.

Other previous related posts:

https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/07/pagan-eye-camomile-growing-in-my-local.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/05/pagan-eye-what-do-you-think-girls.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/05/the-rochester-catalpa-tree.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/08/the-rochester-catalpa-tree-revisited.html

Monday, 29 June 2026

Art: Frida Kahlo & Day of the Dead Imagery @ the Tate

I went to the new Frida Kahlo exhibition at London's Tate Modern yesterday and loved it, both as someone who enjoys art and who is interested in folklore and mythology. Day of the Dead imagery is one aspect of Mexican culture that appears both in Frida's paintings and in other artist's work that she inspired.

The photo at the top shows Altar for Frida Kahlo by Carmen Lomas Garza with other paintings in a room displaying creations in homage. The picture to the right shows one by Frida herself called Girl with Death Mask.

Here's more general information about the exhibition from the Tate website:

"Frida: The Making of an Icon... showcase[s] over 30 of Kahlo’s most iconic works that introduce her ‘many selves’ – the dedicated wife, the intellectual, the modern artist, and the political activist. Alongside treasured garments, jewellery, photographs and memorabilia, there are over 200 works by her contemporaries and the artists she inspired from later generations, celebrating her lasting impact on those who continue to reimagine and reclaim her remarkable story."

Frida: The Making of an Icon  is on at the Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG until 3 January 2027. Tickets are £25 or free for nembers. You can find out more here: https://www.tate.org.uk/

Thursday, 21 May 2026

Pagan Eye: Austin Osman Spare Exhibition at Atlantis

The photo shows a corner of the current exhibition at Atlantis Bookshop in London. It's on the work of Austin Osman Spare. Commemorating the 70th anniversary of the artist and magician's death, the exhibition offers a glimps into his writing and illustrations.

Austin Osman Spare and his Books is on until Saturday 30 May at Atlantis, 49a Museum Street, Bloomsbury, London, WC1A 1LY. It's open Monday to Saturday, 11am~6pm. Entry. is free. www.theatlantisbookshop.com

On each Pagan Eye post, I show a photo that I find interesting, with a few words about it. It could be a seasonal image, a pagan site, an event, or just a pretty picture. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com. Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself and you must confirm that you are submitting it for A Bad Witch's Blog.

Tuesday, 19 May 2026

My Set of the New Greenwood Tarot Edition Arrived!

Here's a look at the cards in the new edition of the Greenwood Tarot by Mark Ryan and Chesca Potter. The first edition had long been out of print and was exceedingly rare. I'd long wished to have a copy.

Then, about a year ago, Mark Ryan created a Kickstarter to produce a new edition. My copy arrived a couple of days ago and I took this photo of them as I wash-shuffled them before use. I'm really delighted to finally have a set.

The reproduction quality isn't quite as good as the first edition. I suspect that's because of issues relating to the original artwork, which I won't go into here because I don't have 100 per cent of the facts. However, I am just pleased to have the chance to do readings with a copy I own. I'll be posting a divination for the world with them soon.

One interesting thing about the new edition is that it contains two Lovers cards, one of which is gender neutral. You can see them photographed below.

Thursday, 14 May 2026

Pagan Eye: What Do You Think The Girl's Holding?

What do you think the girl in this street art is holding? When I first glanced I thought she was gazing into a crystal ball, so I took this photo. When I studied it more closely I thought that maybe she's actually got a metal lampshade with a lit bulb inside. Whatever it is, I think the image is rather fascinating.

My part of London - SE20 - has become well known for wonderful street art. This is one of the new works near where I live. Links to previous related posts at the bottom of this page will take you to my earlier photos and information about where you can enjoy these outdoor art exhibitions.

I was particularly curious as to whether the painting is supposed to depict a crystal ball because of my own interest in scrying and divination. I've written a book on the topic and teach classes, as you probably know if you follow my blog.

At the time of writing there's still a couple of place available in my scrying class in London this Saturday. You can find the link here: https://www.treadwells-london.com/events-1/the-art-of-scrying-in-person-workshop-6

On each of my Pagan Eye posts I show a photo that I find interesting, with a few words about it. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself and you must confirm that you are submitting it for A Bad Witch's Blog.

Saturday, 2 May 2026

Occult London: A Path to Follow on World Labyrinth Day

Today is World Labyrinth Day, when everyone is invited to walk a labyrinth at 1pm local time. As the WLD website says, this is "to help create a rolling wave of peaceful energy passing from one time zone to the next around the globe."

You don't have to walk it with your feet - you can follow a small path with a finger or just your eyes if it's public art on a wall!

The photo above shows a labyrinth at London's Cannon Street Station. It is part of a series created by Mark Wallinger for the Art on the Underground programme. There are, according to TfL, 270 different labyrinths designed by Mark, with one at each of London's Underground stations that existed in 2013.

A Guinness World Record Tube challenge is to visit them all in the shortest time. I've not done that, but I do look out for them when I use a station that isn't a part of any of my regular journeys.

Today I am planning to find more labyrinths in London, and walk one I've not visited before. I'll share photos at a later date. I've been fascinated by labyrinths for many years. I've walked them when I get the opportunity, I've read about them, visited them, written about them, and drawn them on paper. Here are links to some of my earlier posts:

World Labyrinth Day is a modern-day custom, but walking labyrinths is such a widespread folkloric custom in general that I've given this post a "folklore" tag too.

Tuesday, 28 April 2026

Pagan Eye: A Witch at the Coming of Age Exhibition

This etching of A Witch at Her Cauldron is part of the Coming of Age exhibition at London's Wellcome Collection. I went there and took the photo above, but it isn't the only item relating to witches or magic. There's also Japanese figures from mythology representing long life, images showing the concept of the fountain of youth, and a large display on crones.

It's a really good exhibition, but I did tut slightly at the description of the depiction above. It read:

"This 1626 etching depicts a young witch in her magic circle conjuring up monsters and pipe-smoking demons. In Europe, witches were generally imagined as women. Roles in cooking, midwifery and healing gave women control over the health and wellbeing of their families. In a male-dominated society, accusations of witchcraft were a way to suppress this power. In the 1500s and 1600s, fear of witches led to the execution of thousands of women."

In fact, midwives were generally well respected even during times of historic witch persecutions. Although there are some examples of midwives being accused of malefic practices, that wasn't widespread. You were far more likely to be accused of witchcraft if you were someone the community found inconvenient or you just pissed off the wrong person.

Don't let that minor criticism put you off going to the Coming of Age Exhibition, as it's generally thought-provoking and highlights important social issues about how we view people young to old. And it's totally free to go round.

Coming of Age is on at the Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE. It is open daily from 10am to 6pm until 29 November. You can find out more here: https://wellcomecollection.org/

Pagan Eye Posts

On each of my Pagan Eye posts, I show a photo that I find interesting, with a few words about it. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself and you must confirm that you are submitting it for A Bad Witch's Blog.

Previous Related Links

https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/03/pagan-eye-gods-from-hawaii-at-british.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/03/pagan-eye-woodland-witch-from.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/05/exhibition-gods-goddesses-in-luxury.html
badwitch.co.uk/2022/09/pagan-eye-goddess-aphrodite-at-feminine.html

Tuesday, 7 April 2026

Pagan Eye: Constable's Stonehenge at the Tate Britain

Constable's watercolour of Stonehenge with a rainbow in the sky above it is one of my favourite paintings of the famous ancient monument. I took this photo of it at the Turner and Constable exhibition at the Tate Britain, in London, which I went to see over the bank holiday. It's only on until 12 April. I'm so glad I managed to get there before it closed as it's a fabulous chance to view paintings by two of England's most famous artists.

Many years ago I managed to take an actual phtograph of Stonehenge with a rainbow above it. It's hardly anything to compare with Constable's work of art, but if you want to have a look, here's the link: www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/01/pagan-eye-rainbow-over-stonehenge.html

My Pagan Eye posts show photos that I find interesting - seasonal images, pagan sites, events, or just pretty pictures. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself.

Other previous related posts
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/08/pagan-eye-women-artists-and-moon-goddess.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/08/art-tate-britains-ithell-colquhoun.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2022/02/british-museum-exhibition-world-of.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/03/pagan-eye-woodland-witch-from.html

Thursday, 19 March 2026

Pagan Eye: Woodland Witch from a Witch/Craft Exhibition

Here's one of Sara Hannant's captivating photos of a woodland witch. It's part of a new exhibition called Witch/Craft that's on at St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery in Hampshire. It brings together two bodies of work exploring changing attitudes to witches and witchcraft from the 16th century to the present.

Anne Jackson’s knotted tapestries draw on trial records, historic imagery and symbolism to reflect on persecution and prejudice and to tell the stories of the last women to be hanged for witchcraft in England.

Sara Hannant presents photographic portraits created collaboratively with contemporary magical practitioners in the New Forest and London. Her images explore the ways in which they define their identity and express their beliefs. A further photographic series presents her personal interpretation the Wiccan Wheel of the Year.

A link between the two artist's work is archaeologist, anthropologist and folklorist Margaret Murray who argued that records from historic witch trials revealed a remnant pre-Christian Pagan religion. Although her ideas have since been largely rejected, they were an important influence on Gerald Gardner who established Wicca, a form of modern Pagan Witchcraft.

Witch/Craft runs from 21 March to 16 May at St Barbe Museum, New Street, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 9BH. The museum is open Monday – Saturday, 10am-4pm. Adult tickets are £6. You c an find out more here: www.stbarbe-museum.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/witch-craft/

Pagan Eye Posts

The photograph at the top is copyright Sara Hannant

Previous Related Links

https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/10/art-ronald-hutton-and-sara-hannant-on.html

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2021/09/art-unsettling-landscapes-exhibition-of.html

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2015/04/event-numinous-clouties-transformed-in.html

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2016/10/review-of-shadows-museum-of-witchcraft.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/03/pagan-eye-me-at-beckenham-library-book.html
https://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/01/pagan-eye-birth-belief-protection.html

Tuesday, 13 January 2026

Art: The Theatre Deli Tarot - Supporting Creativity

This unusual tarot deck is the latest I've added to my collection. It's the Theatre Deli Tarot, which was made by 55 artists from a London-based community of creative people.

Registered charity Theatre Deli uses empty city spaces to provide environments and opportunities for people to experiment with, develop, showcase and enjoy art. I bought my copy at the venue at 107 Leadenhall Street, London EC3A 4AF when I was there at the weekend.

The deck's creators include resident artists, community members, partner organisations, friends, staff and trustees. They represent a range of disciplines: theatremakers, dancers, cabaret artists, drag performers, filmmakers, photographers and producers. They also represent diverse experience, perspective, age, (dis)ability, background, and engagement with tarot. Their work includes photography, drawing, painting, digital art, collage, text, and textile. Each was given free rein to create an interpretation of their chosen cards in their own styles and media, which has resulted in a wonderfully original mixture of cards.

I love it!

The sets are made with a 70 percent mix of materials from FSC-certified forests, recycled materials, and/or FSC-controlled wood and each sold helps the charity continue its work.

You can buy a copy here or pick up one onsite at Theatre Deli Leadenhall Street.

Monday, 12 January 2026

Pagan Eye: Birth, Belief & Protection Exhibition

The Wellcome Collection in London currently has an exhibtion called Expecting, about protective practices and beliefs around pregnancy from medieval times. I took the photo above of a painting called The Birth of a Baby, done in the 15th or 16th century. It shows the mother surrounded by attendants including both a nun and an astrologer, revealing that the community worked together to offer the new mum and her child many forms of help.

Also on display is a parchment scroll created about 1500 CE. It's covered in prayers. These could be recited, but the scroll itself was worn by women during childbirth and at other moments of danger, believing that it had amuletic properties.

Expecting: Birth, Belief and Protection is on until 19 April at the Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE. Entry is free and you can just turn up to see it.

Previous Related Posts

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/08/exhibition-thirst-our-vital-connection.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2026/01/pagan-eye-predicting-future-map-of-world.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/03/charmed-photos-wellcome-collections.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2017/01/event-wild-ones-at-wellcome-collection.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/04/the-occult-in-exhibition-cult-of-beauty.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2019/07/smoke-mirrors-psychic-games-magic.html

Thursday, 20 November 2025

Art: “Nobut Summat” at the Atlantis Bookshop

Atlantis Boookshop in London currently has an exhibition called “Nobut summat”, which in the Yorkshire dialect means: “Something… or nothing”. It's a collection of tiny frames containing found objects as a record of spirit of place and popular culture. This is what the artist, Steve Sheasby, says about his work:

“Growing up in West Yorkshire in the 1970s, I was deeply affected by the declining industrial landscape. I trained for three years at the Royal College of Art, but afterwards was content to spend three decades restoring other people’s artworks. It was only when I began training in psychic mediumship — with Gary Wright, the medium-in-residence at the Atlantis Bookshop — that a shift occurred and creativity started to flow through me. I asked myself a question: could a Spirit Art be created with just a few found objects? The artist as intuitive archivist. This exhibition is the culmination of that two-year journey. I hope you enjoy it.”

“Nobut summat” runs until 29 November and is free to view. The Atlantis Bookshop is open Monday to Saturday at 49a Museum Street, London, WC1A 1LY. Visit the website for more details: http://theatlantisbookshop.com/

Monday, 17 November 2025

Pagan Eye: Welcome To Fairy Land @ Wynd's Museum

Here's a photo I took of some of the art by Luciana Nedelea that's currently in exhibition at Viktor Wynd's Museum of Curiosities. The pictures are illustrations for Wynd's new book, Dark Fairy Tales - Stories from Around the World (That Are Definitely Not Suitable for Children). The exhibition is called Welcome To Fairy Land and there are also some other delightful fairy-related objects to look at in the cocktail bar area.

Venue: Viktor Wynd's Museum of Curiosities is at 11 Mare Street, London E8 4RP. Welcome To Fairy Land runs until to April 20 2026. It's free to enter during opening hours. You can find out more here: https://thelasttuesdaysociety.org/museum/events-exhibitions/

Previous Related Posts

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/08/review-dark-fairy-tales-stories-from.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/10/occult-london-4-witches-warlock.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/10/photos-from-ben-edges-arty-party-at.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2018/01/pagan-eye-museum-of-witchcraft-in-london.html

Tuesday, 11 November 2025

Craft: Does This Look Like the Practical Magic House?

I saw this jigsaw puzzle and thought the picture looked like a magical witch's house - even a bit like the one in the movie Practical Magic - so I had to have it.

There's something a bit weird about the garden too. The trees have a mixture of spring blossom and golden autum leaves, the flowers vary from spring bluebells to summer blooms. Then the lighting is strange. The windows are lit as though it's night or evening, but the sky above is blue and the sun is casting late afternoon shadows. I found it most intriguing.

What do you think?

Thursday, 6 November 2025

Occult London: Ben Edge: Children of Albion Exhibition

An art exhibition by Ben Edge called Children of Albion opens today at the gorgeous Byzantine-inspired Fitzrovia Chapel in London, and entry is free. With painting, sculpture, and film, Edge continues his depictions of British folklore and mythology. He explores ancient stories and customs rooted in the land, showing their enduring resonance in a modern world.

He captures what he calls a “Folk Renaissance,” reflecting a rising desire to reclaim ancestral roots and reconnect with nature. But Children of Albion isn't intended as an exercise in nostalgia. It aims to be a forward-looking vision, an invitation to re-enchant our relationship with the land and reimagine a shared cultural identity that bridges past, present, and future.

The works conjure ancient sites and the mythologies that surround them, where demons, superstitions, and timeless tales take shape within today’s fragmented world. Through these works, Edge blends tradition with the tensions of modern life – grappling with environmental collapse, identity crises, and a collective yearning for meaning.

“As contemporary Britons, I believe we’re all part of this evolving story,” Edge says. “It transcends time and heritage, forming a diverse, interconnected whole. Since the pandemic, I’ve seen a renewed fascination, especially among younger generations, with folk traditions and the spiritual power of the land.”

At the heart of the exhibition is Edge’s most ambitious painting to date: Children of Albion, 2025. Serving as a dramatic altarpiece in the chapel, it offers a sweeping visual history of Britain, from prehistory to the present. Inspired by the fantastical complexity of Hieronymus Bosch, it explores the unravelling of our bond with nature while confronting Britain’s colonial legacy. Through themes of migration and transformation, Edge reclaims Britain as a “mongrel nation” – a place shaped by waves of cultural exchange and constant evolution.

From Summer Solstice celebrations in Milton Keynes to ritual scenes inspired by the folk song John Barleycorn, Edge’s works teem with hybrid figures – part man, part animal, part plant – and spectral presences that exist beyond time. In an increasingly urban world, these works serve to remind us that we are not separate from nature, but part of it – deeply and inextricably woven into its fabric.

Children of Albion Exhibition Details

Venue: The Fitzrovia Chapel, Fitzroy Place, 2 Pearson Square, London, W1T 3BF
Times: Now– 26 November 2025, Monday – Saturday 11am – 6pm, Sunday 12 noon – 5pm
Admission: free
https://www.fitzroviachapel.org/

Thursday, 23 October 2025

London Parks: Nature at Waterloo Millennium Green

I thought I'd share my photo of a giant metal spider in the run-up to Halloween, or Samhain, I hope you aren't too scared of arachnids. The photo below shows a dragonfly that's also part of a nature trail at Waterloo Millennium Green, close to Waterloo Station and the Dark Secrets exhibition that's currently on.

Waterloo Millennium Green is a lovely, if small, green space in the heart of central London. The precise adress is Baylis Road, Waterloo, London SE1 7AA. You can find out more here.

I've been blogging regularly about London's parks, gardens, woods and wild places in an effort to dispel a prevalent myth in the pagan community that it's just all concrete. Even in the most heavily built up areas, there are still places where nature thrives. Here are links to some of my earlier posts on Green London:

The Ruins of St Dunstan's in the East: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/08/green-london-ruins-of-st-dunstans-in.html
Lincoln's Inn Fields: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2023/06/green-london-lincolns-inn-fields.html
Green Park's Grove and Haunted Trees: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/08/green-london-green-parks-grove-and.html
St Mary Staining Garden and Plane Tree: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/02/green-london-st-mary-staining-garden.html
Victoria Embankment Gardens: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/08/green-london-victoria-embankment-gardens.html
St Alphege Gardens: http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/09/green-london-st-alphege-gardens-city.html

Tuesday, 21 October 2025

Art: Ronald Hutton and Sara Hannant on Pan

The image above shows Professor Ronald Hutton talking about Pan against a background of one of Sara Hannant's photos at the closing event for Visions of The Horned God in the English Country Garden. The exhibition of Sara's photos took place over the past few days at a gallery space in Rhoda Street, London E2 in conjunction with Strange Attractor Press. The description on the publisher's website says:

"Sara Hannant’s dreamlike images, made in camera, evoke the untamed and mystical qualities of the Great God Pan and his equivalents. Hannant takes us on a magical journey through England’s gardens and parks, giving us insights into how the Horned God has manifested within classical and contemporary sculpture. Most of these mythological statues were selected by the social elite during their Grand Tour of Europe."

If you missed the exhibition, then you can still see a couple of the pictures here as well as more information. The picture below shows Sara against prints of her work. I also hope to post another of her photos on A Bad Witch's Blog in the near future, with Sara's permission.

A book featuring Sara Hannant’s photographs and texts by Simon Costin, Sara Hannant and Ronald Hutton will be available from Strange Attractor Press in Spring 2026.

Saturday, 18 October 2025

Su Jolly: I Met the Kent Artist Who Illustrated Erosion

I was so happy to meet up with the lovely artist Su Jolly at the exhibition of her work yesterday. Su painted the cover picture for my Gothic novel Erosion. The photo above shows the pair of us holding a copy of the book surrounded by some of her stunning watercolours, mainly showing the Kent coast and countryside.

My novel is set in Kent, and while I was writing it I was also seeing Su share pictures of scenes she was painting. Her art so much matched my vision of the landscapes described in Erosion, that I asked if she would do a cover picture for me, and I was delighted when she agreed.

Su's current exhibition is called Hiraeth, which is Welsh for "longing", and is part of South East Open Studios and the Canterbury Festival. The venue is Creek Creative, 1 Abbey Street, Faversham, Kent. It runs until 26 October. If you're in the area, or fancy a day out at a beautiful historic Kent town, not too far from Canterbury and the coastal towns of Whitstable, Herne Bay, Ramsgate, and Margate, I very much recommend popping in to have a look at Su's paintings. Admission is free. You can find out more here: www.facebook.com/events/1483324266223810/

You can also see Su's art online at her website: www.sujollyartist.com/

Where to Find my Books

Here are some of the places you can find Erosion and my other books:

My publisher is Moon Books, an imprint of Collective Ink. You can see Erosion on the website via this link: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/moon-books/our-books/erosion-novel
Before most shops had copies of Erosion, Treadwell's bookshop in London hosted a signing event. The shop still stocks copies of all my titles. You can pop in or order online. Treadwell's Bookshop is at 33 Store Street, Bloomsbury London, WC1E 7BS. The website is: www.treadwells-london.com/ .
Paperbacks can be ordered from Bookshop.org, which supports independent bookshops.
Erosion can be also be viewed on Amazon

(Note: I earn commission from some links.)

Other Previous Related Posts

http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/08/art-and-writing-coastal-erosion-and.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/04/video-launch-of-erosion-my-gothic-novel.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2024/04/my-gothic-novel-erosion-is-published.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2025/04/books-my-gothic-novel-erosion-is-one.html

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