The Crone:

Although I mentioned making a witch with sprinkles in my last post this isn't her. That little witch is still drying but the witch I'm going to show you is just as nice. I call this one The Crone.

The Crone represents age-old wisdom. She cares for the Maiden and the Mother. She stands at the door to the other dimension and understands that the journey is just another step on every one's path. Because of her years of experience, she is one who counsels well. Many Elders carry stories that can teach everyone so much. In today’s world, so many traditions are being lost because the younger generation has no interest in keeping the legends alive. The Crone's age range is late forties and older. Her colors are black, purple, brown, indigo blue and gray.

The Crone is a protective figure, and a helpful crone is often linked to fairy godmothers whereas a wicked fairy godmother often appears in the guise of an evil crone.

She is called “Dark Mother, Hag, Mother Death,” and has become perverted into the archetype of the ugly Wicked Old Witch found in fairy tales.

The Crone is the Queen of the Night, and is associated with night and darkness; the waning moon and especially the dark moon, the unconscious realm, dark colors especially black. She is associated with menopause and the aging process; death and decline and the underworld realm and the end of cycles.

She also represents wisdom and power, healing and transformation. We think of the Crone in connection with winter and the Winter Solstice, the direction North; spiders and webs; the elderly and the outcast; cauldrons of transformation and regeneration.

We associated her with old seed pods, hibernation, dormancy and retreat. The animals associated with her are  Owls, Vultures and flesh-eating birds, black birds especially ravens and crows. We think of her at times of transition, such as dusk, dawn, and midnight and associate her with divination, prophesy, and scrying.

This is the first of three witches I’m working on. I’ve no intention of doing the Maiden, Mother and Crone, but have done some research on the three. For whatever reason I find that I’m drawn to sculpting the older witches and so all three of the ones I’m presently working on will be crones. This lovely crone was painted with many layers of thinned acrylic paints and has been sealed with three coats of acrylic varnish. Her hat and cloak are black and she has a dark green shawl. Her gown is a dark grayed brown.

She has her book of spells tuck under her right arm and her wand in her right hand. She holds her broom stick in her left hand. On close inspection you will see her right eye is covered with a cataract and she has a snaggled tooth smile on her face.

While I was sculpting her, I used myself as a model and exaggerated everything a wee bit. For one thing, my hair isn't as thick and my teeth aren't quite as yellow since I've been using this new tooth paste. My nose may not be quite so crooked.

This is pretty much what I look like from the backside except my hair is thinner although it's about the same length and the style.

For some reason the profile gets me every time. I think it might be an  Alfred Hitchcock thing. I like the way the broom turned out. She looks like she's ready to get down to business, doesn't she?

As I said earlier, I'm working on two more witches and will have them both finished in the coming week.....if they ever dry.

Speaking of the coming week. This is the last week before the contest/giveaway drawing. If you haven't entered, go to my contest/giveaway page to see the rules and then come back here to enter. Remember, you can enter as often as you like.

As always, thanks for stopping by.