Monday, December 31, 2007

Finding Annwyn in a Journal


It would seem that the Celtic Land of the dead, Annwn, may very well be located in North Wales. The main story is of the King of Annwn, Gwyn Ap Nudd, and his wild hunt. He rides the night skies in search for souls with his hounds. It was this story which inspired my painting "The Queen of Annwyn" and I chose the longer spelling because that's fitting for a Welsh word. So I decided to take that image, and dress it up a bit and create some cool stuff, because it's what I do now that I have my own fantasy art gift shop. So now you can explore Annwyn on your own with the Journal of Annwyn.

I have kept journals on and off for years, and though now I do a great deal of my writing online, I still keep a hand-written one as well. It's not updated as frequently as it once was, but I have a feeling that may change soon. There's magic in writing, and if you don't believe in magic even just a little bit, then you've come to the wrong place. The idea that the Land of the Dead is associated with a physical location doesn't negate the mythology, in fact it reinforces it. Who knows what rituals the ancient Celts performed as they laid their dead to rest? Did they call upon the King of Annwyn to welcome their loved ones into his hall?