MYTHOLOGY: the shapeshifting woman of Irish/Scottish lore, The Selkie. A seal who can remove her pelt to take the form of a fair maiden, leave her watery realm, and walk among humankind, men were said to troll the banks of the water, looking for seal pelts to take and lock up, effectively making a hostage/wife of the beautiful woman.
I envision a life for the Selkie where she listens to the ill-ease of her gut, the tiny voice inside her that screams RUN when she first encounters Man. Darting for the shore’s edge, she scoops up her sealskin, donning it like a cloak as she dives into the cool, dark, safety of the water - the shafts of light that dance around her catching only glimpses of her transformation - leaving behind the coveted body and tenuous existence of a woman forever in favor of her wildness and freedom.
THEMES: This is the second time ive been drawn to render this archetype - Theres a lot in this folklore that feels resonate with the femme experience at large (and especially today) Our bodies levied against us as a prison of vulnerability…which animal form would you take if you could?
9×12” print of original artwork by Kita (that’s me!) Printed (on thick, beautifully textured watercolor paper) and packed (in a biodegradable cellulose sleeve) by me, in my very own tiny Chicago studio surrounded by Iranian folklore, cats, plants & art alchemy. Story card about the art included.
MYTHOLOGY: the shapeshifting woman of Irish/Scottish lore, The Selkie. A seal who can remove her pelt to take the form of a fair maiden, leave her watery realm, and walk among humankind, men were said to troll the banks of the water, looking for seal pelts to take and lock up, effectively making a hostage/wife of the beautiful woman.
I envision a life for the Selkie where she listens to the ill-ease of her gut, the tiny voice inside her that screams RUN when she first encounters Man. Darting for the shore’s edge, she scoops up her sealskin, donning it like a cloak as she dives into the cool, dark, safety of the water - the shafts of light that dance around her catching only glimpses of her transformation - leaving behind the coveted body and tenuous existence of a woman forever in favor of her wildness and freedom.
THEMES: This is the second time ive been drawn to render this archetype - Theres a lot in this folklore that feels resonate with the femme experience at large (and especially today) Our bodies levied against us as a prison of vulnerability…which animal form would you take if you could?
9×12” print of original artwork by Kita (that’s me!) Printed (on thick, beautifully textured watercolor paper) and packed (in a biodegradable cellulose sleeve) by me, in my very own tiny Chicago studio surrounded by Iranian folklore, cats, plants & art alchemy. Story card about the art included.
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