Santa Muerte

Santa Muerte is the Central American folk saint of death and is its personification. She is venerated particularly on the Day of the Dead festival around Oct 31st-Nov 1st. She is often depicted in adapted statues of the Virgin Mary, dressed with a scythe and skull features. Like the medieval phrase ‘Memento Mori’, she is a reminder that all must die, and is prayed to for easy passage into the next life. Although bound in with Catholic culture in the Americas, she is outlawed by the Catholic church, and as such is a popular figure with outlaws and the outcast. This piece was painted over the course of the week at the Glastonbury Goddess Conference and soaked in the death crone energy of this year’s conference! Acrylic and leaf metal on wood (8in x 12in) Copyright Nic Phillips 2014