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HALLOWEEN / SAMHAIN
Wheel of the year / Pagan sabbat art

 

OIL PAINTING IN PROGRESS 

 

OIL PAINTING IN PROGRESS

 


 


  Samhain, Halloween, Oil on Canvas, 76 cm x 61 cm



 

 

SAMHAIN / HALLOWEEN

TRADITIONAL DATES : Northern Hem: Oct 31 -  November 1. Southern Hem: April 30 - May 1.
Astrological dates vary annually.

The word Samhain, pronounced Sowein, comes from the words harvest (Sow) end (wein) and marks the end of the crop or harvest season before winter.

The commercial and Hollywood aspects of Samhain / Halloween are quite different to the traditional aspects. Most of the Halloween characteristics that are now heavily associated with the commercial elements of this Sabbat, such as pumpkins, skeletons, sculls and spider webs, have been left out of this particular painting.  Some believe that Samhain and Halloween are not the same thing but the later did, however, derive out of the former.

Halloween has also, occasionally, been associated with the religion of Satanism thanks to Hollywood & groups who like to use the energy of special times for their own malevolent or selfish purposes. Contrary to popular belief, Satanism is a vastly different religion to to those religions or traditions with pagan origins. Satanists also invert and use traditions, customs and symbols from a variety of religions and customs, including from Christianity.

SAMHAIN - SOME KEY POINTS:

  • Autumn going into winter

  • The third and final harvest ... collecting stores for winter.

  • Pagan new year.

  • The land appears to be dying at this time.

  • Acknowledgement and respect for the fact that death is a natural and inevitable part of the cycle of nature and all life. The only thing that is constant is change.

  • A time for letting things go and for solemn reflection.

  • A time for honouring loved ones that have passed over.

  • The veils are said to be the thinnest between the living and the dead at this time.

  • It is tradition to have a silent supper and set an extra setting for a loved one that has passed during this time.

















Samhain – Halloween – The Start of Winter

A hauntingly beautiful meditation on Samhain, the ancient seasonal festival that marks the end of the harvest and, in the modern Wiccan Wheel of the Year, the turning toward winter, darkness and the mysteries of the unseen. Samhain is traditionally a time to honour ancestors, remember those who have passed beyond the veil, and reflect upon the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth. 

In this evocative oil painting, an ethereal woman stands between the worlds of autumn and winter, her face divided between fiery russet leaves and icy white snow. A raven, skeletal remains, ghostly flowers, a witch’s portrait, roses and a magical cauldron weave together themes of remembrance, transformation and the spirit world, framed by elegant Art Nouveau-inspired flowing forms.

Like a story whispered beside an autumn fire, the painting suggests that death is not simply an ending, but a doorway into another chapter. A Samhain print brings this atmosphere of mystery and reflection into your home, altar, creative space or seasonal celebration—a beautiful visual reminder to honour your ancestors, release what has passed, embrace the darkness as a time of rest and introspection, and trust in the promise of renewal.