Latent Power

It’s All Mine. February 2018.

Rachel Newling (Australia)

Grey-Headed Flying Fox

Blue Meadow

Block print, 2019

I am thrilled to post my latest linocut relief print. If you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know I love to draw bats. They are fascinating and misunderstood creatures. I love the variety of shapes found in their faces and ears. This print is roughly based on the Rafinesque’s big-eared bat, which is a type of vesper bat.

I had a blast carving this. I typically print on 5 x 7 inch blocks, but decided to go with an 8 x 10″ on this one. It allowed me to carve a larger variety of detail, including the tiny flying insects. I also used dampened paper while printing. This lightly embossed the paper and printed a really solid black without filling in the tiny details.  Like most of my other prints, it is a limited edition of 10.

this is part of a larger series i’m currently working: harry potter magical plant botanical illustrations.

this poster is a bit of an outtake from that project, i had some fun with the style in this. it’s not exactly what i imagined, so this poster may be revisited in future

(Atropa mandragora, Mandragora officinale) Poisonous

Folk Names: Alraun, Anthropomorphon, Baaras, Brain Thief, Circeium, Circoea, Galgenmannchen, Gallows, Herb of Circe, Hexenmannchen (German: Witches’ Mannildn), Ladykins, Mandragen, Mandragor, Mannikin, Raccoon Berry, Semihomo, Wild Lemon, Womandrake, Zauberwurzel (German: Sorcerer’s Root). Gender: Masculine. Planet: Mercury. Element: Fire. Deities: Hecate, Hathor. Powers: Protection, Fertility, Money, Love, Health.

Magical Uses: A whole mandrake root, placed on the mantel in the home, will give the house protection, fertility, and prosperity. Mandrake is also hung on the head- board for protection during sleep, carried to attract love, and worn to prevent contraction of illnesses. Where there is mandrake, demons cannot reside, and so the root is used in exorcism. To “activate” a dried mandrake root (i.e., to bring its powers out of hibernation), place it in some prominent location in the house and leave it there undisturbed for three days. Then place it in warm water and leave overnight. Afterwards, the root is activated and may be used in any magical practice. The water in which the root has bathed can be sprinkled at the windows and doors of the house to protect it, or onto people to purify them. The mandrake has also long served as a poppet in image magic, but its extreme scarcity and high cost usually forces the Magician and Witch to look for substitutes; ash roots, apples, the root of the briony, the American may-apple and many others have been used. Money placed beside a mandrake root (especially silver coins) is said to double, and the scent of the mandrake causes sleep.

‘You Are The Theory In My Head’  Limited Edition of 8.

@itsarifitz: black queer intimacy: a concept.