Currently on exhibition at Churchstoke shopping centre (formerly Harry Tuffins) is my painting inspired by witches familiars. Thanks to Vince Stage the store manager for having the work. The store has a large footfall and really fits my remit of getting the art into local places and to people that are not regular gallery visitors. The store will be having two more of my paintings over the coming weeks.
Women accused of witchcraft were often assumed to have a familiar, most often in the form of cats, dogs, owls, mice, corvid birds, newts or toads. These servants to witches were considered low-ranking demons, or even fairies. It was said familiars fed on the blood of the witch taken from her third nipple. It was thought that the animals were used for spell casting and spying on others. Many completely innocent pet lovers were persecuted for having an ‘unnatural’ pairing, resulting in blame being placed on them for any kind of bad luck, such as milk spoiling or crops withering.
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