Title: Guardians
Original Dimensions: 14”x 17”
Medium: Prismacolor Pencil on Bristol Board

I tend to use the themes of the colour green along with black dogs, trees, ravens and crows quite frequently and always in a context in some way referencing their roll in ancient Celtic beliefs.

The colour green was associated with both life and death and the Otherworld.
Crows were connected to both the world of the living and of the dead and could travel between the realms, at times even acting as messengers or ferrymen as well as being thought to be omens warning of impending death among other similar aspects.
The black dogs, which had many names including the Cu Sith in Ireland, the Mauthe Doog or Padfoot in England and the Gwyllgi of Wales. They were a type of being rather like the Banshee or the Fetch, not being outrightly harmful they only served as a warning, usually appearing to travelers, foretelling death and were also of the Otherworld.
Trees, also were an intricate part of Celtic mythology and another theme I tend to follow.
Oaks in particular, their Gaelic name being 'duir' as in 'door' which is believed to be where the word 'door' originated. Oak wood was the most popular material used to make doors and old oaks were often believed to be or to mark gateways to the Otherworld.