A Pair of Wicked Ladies

“A Wicked Lady” is now available over at my #CafePress Shop: (http://www.cafepress.com/azodnem/9865183) 

The Wicked Witch of the West poses the biggest threat to Dorothy Gale, because she covets the magical pair of slippers which previously belonged to her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East, and are now being worn by the hapless orphan from Kansas.

The Wicked Witch of the West is the one witch in all of Oz whom the Wizard of Oz fears after the Wicked Witch of the East is destroyed. Years earlier (prior to the start of Baum’s novel), the Wicked Witch of the West seized control of Winkie Country in the western part of Oz with the help of her Winged Monkeys. The Wizard has never dared to venture there since, considering himself quite vulnerable to her power.

Oz Fact: Baum’s Oz books, never once mentioned the Wicked Witch of the West’s skin color being green.

“A Wicked Sister” is now available over at my #CafePress Shop: (http://www.cafepress.com/azodnem/9907689) 

Oz Fact: The Wicked Witch of the East was a cruel sorceress who conquered and tyrannized Munchkin Country, making its poor citizens slave for her night and day. On the upside, she did have great taste in shoes.

A Northern Lady

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The Good Witch of the North is the elderly and mild-mannered Ruler of the Gillikin Country in Oz. Her only significant appearance in L. Frank. Baum's work is in Chapter 2 of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in which she introduces young Dorothy Gale to the Land of Oz and sends her off to Emerald City to meet the Wizard, after placing a protective kiss on her forehead. Baum presented her as an extremely kind and gentle character who stood against the oppression and subjugation of any Ozian. She became the Ruler of the Gillikin Country in the North after freeing the Gillikins from the clutches of Mombi, the erstwhile Wicked Witch of the North. However, the character's kindness and magnanimity of spirit was not confined to her own domain, and she was loved not only by her own subjects but also by many of the other people in Oz, such as the Munchkins.

Munchkins

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Munchkins, quite obviously, are the natives of the fictional Munchkin Country in the Oz books written by L. Frank Baum. They first appeared in the 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in which they are described as being somewhat short of stature, and fond of wearing only blue. Later books never note anything unusual about Munchkin height, but continue to emphasize their obsessive color preference.

Oz Fact: As a result of the popularity of the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz, the word “munchkin” has entered the English language as a reference to small children, dwarfs, or anything of diminutive stature.

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The Cowardly Lion

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The Cowardly Lion makes his first appearance in the book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and is the last of the companions Dorothy befriends on her way to the Emerald City. The Cowardly Lion joins her so that he can ask the Wizard for courage, being ashamed that he lacks the bravery to fulfill his cultural role as the King of the Beasts. Despite outward evidence that he is unreasonably fearful, the Cowardly Lion often displays great bravery throughout their journey; he merely fails to understand that true courage means acting in the face of one’s fear.

The Tin Woodman

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The origins of the Tin Woodman are astonishingly rather gruesome. Originally an ordinary man by the name of Nick Chopper, the Tin Woodman used to make his living chopping down trees in the forests of Oz, as his father had before him. Unfortunately, the Wicked Witch of the East cursed his axe to prevent him from marrying his one true love. The wickedly enchanted axe chopped off his limbs, one by one. But each time he lost a limb, Nick replaced it with a prosthetic one made of tin until there was nothing left of him but the tin replacements. Sadly, the tinsmith who had been helping him neglected to replace his heart. Though far from missing his original existence, the Tin Woodman is actually very proud of his new untiring tin body.

Oz Fact: A recurring problem for the Tin Woodman in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was his tendency to rust when exposed to rain, tears, or other moisture. For this reason, in The Marvelous Land of Oz, published in 1904, the character has himself nickel-plated. Ironically, however, tin does not rust.

The Good Witch

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L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, refers to Glinda as the Good Witch of the South, and ruler of Quadling Country. Later books will call her a “sorceress” rather than a “witch”. Baum’s writings make it clear that he did not view witches as inherently wicked, so some theorize that this change was meant to signal that Glinda was more powerful than any common witch. Others speculate that he may have simply decided to avoid associating Glinda with any of the negative connotations the word “witch” might have socially carried.

Artist's Personal Note: This lovely good witch’s appearance is an amalgamation, and tribute to several of Glinda’s incarnations and makeovers through the years, including: Baum’s original description of the character, Billie Burke’s appearance in the 1939 MGM film, as well as a nod to the Broadway musical, "Wicked" (blonde hair), based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 revisionist novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.

Dorothy Gale

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Dorothy Gale is the protagonist in many of American author L. Frank Baum's Oz novels. Dorothy first appeared in Baum's original, classic children's novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and was from then on featured prominently in most of its sequels. She also was the main character in the classic 1939 MGM film adaptation of the book. In the Oz books, Dorothy Gale is an orphan, raised by her aunt and uncle in the bleak landscape of a poor Kansas farm. Dorothy and her little dog, Toto, are soon unexpectedly swept away by a cyclone to the Land of Oz, where they enter a lively, alternative world filled with magical, talking creatures and endless adventure. 

“A Girl From Kansas” is now available over at my #CafePress Shop: (http://www.cafepress.com/azodnem/9830452) 

Oz fact: Her blue and white gingham dress is well-appreciated by the Munchkins when she initially encounters them, because blue is their favorite color, and white is a color worn only by good witches.

Oz Fact: The magical slippers Dorothy acquires from the Wicked Witch of the East are actually silver in the Baum novels. They were changed to ruby for the 1939 MGM film adaptation to take advantage of (and show off) technicolor’s capabilities.

A Wondrous Wizard

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Unseen for most of the novel, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the ruler of the Land of Oz and highly venerated by his subjects. Believing he is the only man capable of solving their problems, Dorothy Gale and her friends travel to the Emerald City, the capital of Oz, to meet him. Although the Wizard is very reluctant to meet them, they are all eventually granted an audience. He meets them separately, and appears to each in a different form; once as a giant head, once as a beautiful fairy, once as ball of fire, and once as a horrible monster.

Oz Fact: The Wizard’s real name is Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig Isaac Norman Henkel Emmannuel Ambroise Diggs.

Artist's Personal Note: This Wonderful Wizard of Oz’s appearance is a departure from his description in the Baum’s novels, as well as from his appearance in the 1939 MGM film. Inspired by the iconic and traditional image of fantasy wizards, artist Roberto Mendoza creates an Emerald City Sophisticate like no other. The Wizard’s regal turban is in actuality a hot air balloon, and the pattern decorating his robe is a stylized crown / jester’s hat.

The Land of Oz

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Oz is a fantastical region containing four lands under the rule of one monarch. It was first introduced in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) by L. Frank Baum, one of many fantasy countries he created for his books. It achieved a popularity that none of his other works ever attained, and after four years, he returned to it. An attempt to cut off the production of the series with The Emerald City of Oz, by ending the story with Oz being isolated from the rest of the world, did not succeed owing to readers' reactions and Baum's financial need to write successful books.

In all, Baum wrote fourteen children's books about Oz and its inhabitants, as well as six shorter books intended for younger readers. After his death, Ruth Plumly Thompson and other writers continued the series.

Oz

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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum, and illustrated by W.W. Denslow. It was originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, and has since been reprinted countless times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of both the 1902 stage play and the extremely popular, highly acclaimed 1939 film version.

Oz Fact: The Wizard of Oz has been translated into well over fifty different languages, at times being modified in local variations.

Dorothy's Last Supper

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Party's over, Dorothy... time to go home.

Artist's Personal Note: Michelangelo's Last Supper has been reinterpreted and reimagined countless of times by countless artists. I thought, therefore, it only appropriate to end my little sidestep through the wondrous Land of Oz with my own Ozirific rendition...

The Scarecrow

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In his first appearance, the “mindless”, living Scarecrow encounters Dorothy Gale in a field in Munchkinland while on her way to the Emerald City. He reveals that he, unfortunately, lacks a brain and desires above all else to have one. In reality, he is only two days old, and merely lacks knowledge and experience. The Scarecrow joins Dorothy in her quest, in the hope that the Wizard will grant his wish. Ironically however, throughout the course of the novel, he demonstrates that he already has the brain he seeks, and is later recognized as “the wisest man in all of Oz”.

St. Brigid of Ireland

In Celtic religion and Irish mythology, Brigit or Brighid is the daughter of the Dagda (the "All-father") and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann (a race of people thought to derive from the pre-Christian deities of Ireland). Brighid was once the divine patroness of poetry, smithing, medicine, arts and crafts, cattle and other livestock, and was associated with fire and the coming of spring. During the Middle Ages, she was syncretized with a Christian saint, and became St. Brigid of Kildare or Ireland, who is one of Ireland's patron saints along with St. Patrick and St. Columba. She is also often referred to as Mary of the Gael. Irish hagiography makes her an early Irish Christian nun, abbess, and founder of several monasteries of nuns, including that of Kildare in Ireland, which was considered legendary and was highly revered.

St. Brigid is part of my "Simply Divine" series, and is available over at my CafePress Shop.

Venus & Eros

Venus was a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths. Venus was commonly associated with the Greek goddess Aphrodite and the Etruscan deity Turan, borrowing aspects from each.

Eros was the son of Aphrodite and Ares, the Greek god of war. To the Ancient Greeks, Eros was the primordial god of sexual love and beauty, and was worshiped as a fertility deity. His Roman counterpart was Cupid ("desire"), who was also known as Amor ("love").

Venus & Eros are part of my "Simply Divine" series, and are available over at my CafePress Shop. Cupid is available in the "Holidays & Occasions" section just waiting to shoot his enchanted arrows at unsuspecting lovers.

A Wicked Sister

Oz Fact: The Wicked Witch of the East was a cruel sorceress who conquered and tyrannized Munchkin Country, making its poor citizens slave for her night and day. On the upside, she did have great taste in shoes.

A Wicked Sister Poster

A Wicked Sister is part of my "Oz" series, and is 

available over at my CafePress Shop.

A Wicked Lady

The Wicked Witch of the West poses the biggest threat to Dorothy Gale, because she covets the magical pair of slippers which previously belonged to her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East, and are now being worn by the hapless orphan from Kansas.

The Wicked Witch of the West is the one witch in all of Oz whom the Wizard of Oz fears after the Wicked Witch of the East is destroyed. Years earlier (prior to the start of Baum’s novel), the Wicked Witch of the West seized control of Winkie Country in the western part of Oz with the help of her Winged Monkeys. The Wizard has never dared to venture there since, considering himself quite vulnerable to her power.

A Wicked Lady Poster

A Wicked Lady is part of my "Oz" series, and is 

available over at my CafePress Shop.

Eleggua

In Yoruba mythology, Eleggua is the Orisha associated with the crossroads or "opening the ways". Often depicted as a child or small man, he is a playful trickster and a brilliant strategist amongst the divinities. Worshipers often have a cement head with a metal spike in its top, and cowrie shells for eyes and a mouth, as a representation of Eleggua which receives offerings and bestows protection in return. 

He is the appropriator of ceremonies. No ceremony should be started without paying tribute to him first. Without Eleggua being acknowledged first, chances are the outcome desired in a ceremony will not come to full fruition.

Eleggua

Eleggua is part of my "Simply Divine" series, and is 

available over at my CafePress Shop.

Granny Hex

"Granny Hex" don't play! The spooky and kooky are guaranteed to always be in season when this sexy Halloween lady flies into town!

Granny Hex is available in three different colors!

Granny Hex is available over at my CafePress Shop over in the Holidays & Occasions section.

Michaelmas

"Michaelmas", the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel (also the "Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels", or the "Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels") is a day in the Western Christian calendar which occurs on the 29th of September. Because it falls near the equinox, it is associated in the northern hemisphere with the beginning of autumn and the shortening of days. In medieval England, Michaelmas marked the ending and beginning of the husbandman's year, George C. Homans observes: "at that time harvest was over, and the bailiff or reeve of the manor would be making out the accounts for the year."

In Christianity, the Archangel Michael is the greatest of all the Archangels and is honored for defeating Lucifer in the war in heaven. He is one of the principal angelic warriors, seen as a protector against the dark of night, and the administrator of cosmic intelligence. Michaelmas has also delineated time and seasons for secular purposes as well, particularly in the United Kingdom and Ireland as one of the quarter days.

The Eastern Orthodox Churches do not observe Michaelmas. The Greek Orthodox honor the archangels on the 8th of November instead.

St. Michael

"...there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back." ~ The Book of Revelation (12:7-9)

St. Michael is an archangel whose gentle influence is present throughout several religions and spiritual practices. He is often seen as both a great military force and a healer. For many, he has become a symbol not just of strength and protection, but of humility as well.

St. Michael is available over at my CafePress Shop under the Digital Art, Fine Art & Photography section.

Oshun

Oshun is an Orisha, originally of the Yoruba religion, who has become prominent in many Afro-American and Latin religions. Africans brought Oshun and a host of other deities, and energy forces in nature with them when they were brought to the shores of the Americas as captives. Oshun is the force of harmony. Harmony we see as beauty, feel as love, and experience as ecstasy. She reigns over love, intimacy, beauty, wealth and diplomacy. In Cuban Santeria, Oshun is an Orisha of love, maternity and marriage. She has been syncretized with La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre, (Our Lady of Charity), Cuba's patron saint. This makes Oshun especially dear to Cubans, who celebrate her feast day on September 8th as a major holiday. She is associated with the color yellow, metals gold and copper, peacock feathers, mirrors, and anything of beauty.

Simply Divine: Oshun

Oshun is part of my "Simply Divine" series, and is available over at my CafePress Shop. Oshun's magnificent peacock is available in two colors over in the Nature section.