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Soul of a Witch
Gouache, 6 x 6 inches, 2004.
There are several superstitions and beliefs concerning moths and butterflies being the spirits of the dead. However, I’m told a Serbian superstition has it that butterflies are the souls of witches (presumably out spying on people, or otherwise up to no good) and that if you can find the witch while her soul is away, and turn her round, the returning butterfly will be confused and unable to re-enter her mouth and the witch will probably die.
The witch's soul, leaving her body in the form of a moth...
This was the starting point for this painting, although I’ve substituted a moth for a butterfly since it's so much more appropriate to the night time of the setting. And I have added a cat, whose motives are somewhat questionable.