Heartfelt Magic

Where in your body do you feel emotion? The heart is often referred to as the little brain, it has its own neurons and processes emotion. You may feel it swelling and opening with the feeling of love and connection, or you may feel constriction and racing pulse with tension and stress.

Without it you die, it’s your motor, which keeps you alive and works so hard. This is a spell to increase your connection with your own heart and its health both physical and emotional.

It starts with what’s known in folklore as the fairy tree. The hawthorn. This twig with its glossy autumnal fruit and contrasting bright lichen was a real pleasure to paint.

Hawthorn is a cardiac tonic with a long history of use in traditional medicine. It increases the muscular action of the heart aiding heart conditions like irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and chest pain. 

The moths were painted from life, caught in the moth tap in June. This is a Turnip Moth, which as it’s name suggests it feeds on turnips, beets and carrots.

This Peppered Moth is renowned for its markings, which provide camouflage against lichen-covered rocks and tree bark. Darker specimens of this moth became the norm during the Industrial Revolution. Sooty, dirty coatings to buildings and stone, due to pollution meant adaptation was the best way to maintain camouflage against predators. With recent environmental improvements, lighter moths are reemerging. 

Creeping bent grass runs along the ground before it bends and grows upright creating a network, plumbed into the original root. It is a common grass of arable land, waste ground and grasslands. Its spreading fibrous network is a little like the web of arteries and veins that emanate from your heart. The autumnal seed heads are so fine and graceful, dancing in the slightest wind. Watching them makes my heart soar.

This is a Fenland Love Token painted on location in the Museum of Cambridge. Such a romantic idea for the shy Fenman. He would make two sweet little bows made from three ears of corn tied together. With one token pined to his on smock, the other would be given to the woman he was courting at church one Sunday, to declare his love and propose marriage, 

If she had it pinned above her heart the following Sunday, she had accepted his proposal of marriage. The tokens would be worn until the couple were married and the wedding would happen before the ears of corn shelled out. I love this object, although it was quite difficult to draw through the glass case and with less than ideal lighting. Such a modest and humble item imbued with such meaning.

Painted on location at Cambridge nuclear bunker, this silver heart brooch dates from 17th-18th century. Not much is known about how, where and when it was found, or who wore it, but I love the way it’s form responds to the Turnip Moth. A manmade echo of the same shape.

Another brooch, painted on location, this time in Cambridge Museum of Archeology and Anthropology. Found in Barrington, Cambridgeshire, it’s much older than the heart brooch, dating from the 13th century.

It depicts a couple holding hands, their other hands over their hearts, standing on a yoke. It’s a tiny object, and it’s not until you spend a long time with it, observing closely that you begin to recognise the extraordinary craftsmanship. The skill of observation of the body forms, the tiny, tiny details of hair and clothes folds. The delicate balance of shapes and symmetry. The skill to express so much character and animation with such efficiency.

I am in awe of the maker. This is a perfect addition to a Spell For the Heart. Just imagine being bought this by your love. The promise of a true partnership in patriarchal times. How romantic!

Swans are often considered romanic birds as they make heart shapes by entwining their necks when courting. But more than the symbol, think of what a powerful organ a swan’s heart needs to be, enabling flight, its whole organism is designed to be efficient and aerodynamic. Birds, including swans, have a larger heart relative to their body weight compared to mammals to support the demands of flight. 
This white-semi translucent feather was an exiting find, when paddling along the river and a real challenge to paint.

It's always exciting to have a live guest on the drawing board. This earthworm was so dynamic and enjoyed showing me its full incredible range of motion. Earthworms don't have hearts, but they have five pairs of aortic arches in their body, which act like hearts, pumping blood into the dorsal and ventral blood vessels. Small but critical for soil health, plant health and our survival, and the final ingredient in my Spell For The Heart. 

This Spell is an invitation to connect deeply to the intelligence of your own heart. Put your hand on your heart, expand your awareness and tune into your sensations. Unhindered by the complexities of your psychology, you may find a direct line to wisdom and truth.