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In art

Devotional Images: Luxa Strata as Aphrodite

Author Satyr MagosPosted on

Behold, friends: Luxa Strata as Aphrodite.

Luxa Strata, on the off chance that you don’t recognize the name, is a chaote, artist, magician, and community leader. She is the host of the Lux Occult podcast and runs the Green Musheen Discord server and is knee-deep in a stunning number or related and unrelated magical projecets. You can check her various works out for yourself via her Linktree.

I’m so excited to finally be releasing these images from the third of July’s four photoshoots, the first of the two that I did with Luxa. As you may recall from my last two two, the Lavender Laura images, this adventure started with a post in Luxa’s Green Musheen Discord server, in which I asked for magical collaborators for a few occult-themed photoshoots. Of the themes I suggested, Laura was interested in showing off her “Wizard Rizz” and in conjuring spirits for me to try to capture in some old-school spirit photography. Luxa was also interested in spirit photography, and in embodying Aphrodite in this, my second devotional image shoot for that goddess.

Luxa visited me here in Kansas City in the last week of July, flying in Thursday afternoon and leaving Tuesday morning. The whole week was an adventure in and of itself, including a meet and greet with my Lunar Shenanigans Crew, a trip out to Gaea Retreat Center, a great deal of good food, and a whole lot of absolutely fantastic conversation and comradery.

We shot these images on Friday night, using two sets and four-ish costume changes. As usual, I shot with my trusty Nikon d3200; that night I used my Nikor 18-140 zoom lens. We shot in my home studio which was … just a little warmer than was comfortable, that day, at least for me. The lighting was more of a challenge than it should have been because I had misplaced the stands for my studio lights. I ran out of stamina before Luxa and I ran out of ideas, so I’m a little sad about all the images we could have made, but we also shot enough images – 218 – that editing them down to the final 54 was a more than adequate challenge.

Luxa called the goddess Aphrodite into herself. We opened with Armed Aphrodite, with a red cloak and a gladius for a bit of a Roman vibe, and just got slowly more sensual and less dressed over the course of the shoot.

Overall, I’m very pleased with how the shoot went. Luxa was a delight to work with, and the images came out fantastically. Culling the set was a real challenge. I’m still learning to use my new software (you may remember that I ditched Adobe back in April and started using DXO PhotoLab7 in July), so there’s the frustrating knowledge that these could be better if I were only a little more familiar with my tools, but … that’s the artist’s life in the age of subscription software, I guess.

Luxa, herself, had this to say about the shoot:

“When these pictures were taken, I was going through a transitional period having to do with leaving several toxic relationships. I had joined a magic group which turned out to be incredibly abusive and misogynistic. Although I had escaped that situation, I was still dealing with the heatbreak and other fallout. The experience of posing for these pictures helped me reconnect with something I had been suppressing; a “golden shadow” I’d been hiding away for safety’s sake. It was an important thing to rediscover, and I feel deep gratitude for having had the opportunity to do so. My overall takeaway from the shoot is that the Goddess is real, She is powerful, and She is here; in this world.”

I hope you all enjoy these images as much as we do.

In art, sorcerer's workbench

From the Sorcerer’s Workbench: Samhain Line 2024

Author Satyr MagosPosted on

Behold, friends! The first four designs from my 2024 Samhain line! A saint-style devotional pendant featuring Hekate Trimorphis; Three-Winged Gorgoneion; a Memento Mori skull pendant, and the seal of Belial.

Hekate Trimorphis

Hekate Trimorphis is my fourth Hekate devotional image. This one, based on images found on Roman magical gemstones, is in my oval “saint’s pendant style”. It depicts Hekate with three overlapping bodies: three faces, six arms, six legs, all bound within a single peplos, and holding a whip and torches and daggers. I’ve been planning some version of this image for a while, and I am very proud to be presenting it at last.

I have cast up these exemplars in sterling silver and shibuichi. I will also be making it available in bronze. Probably not brass, though, since I just don’t think it will look good in yellow.

I’ll be selling the silver for 149, the shibuichi for 127, and the bronze for 122.

Three-Winged Gorgoneion

The Three Winged Gorgoneion is based on ancient shield designs. I’m super excited to finally be releasing a second Gorgon image. This one in particular has actually been sitting on my bench waiting to be molded and released for most of the year. I’ve cast up these exemplars in sterling silver (bottom), as a pin, and shibuichi (top), as a pendant, and will also be making it available in brass and bronze, and with rosary fixtures and as a bolo tie.

I’ll be selling the silver for $173, the shibuichi for $140, the brass for $89, and the bronze for $122.

Momento Mori Skull I

Momento Mori: remember that you will die (in Latin). This metal skull pendant is the first of several designs that I’m calling Momento Mori. Again, I’ve cast my exemplars in sterling silver and shibuichi, and I will also be making the pendant available in brass or bronze. The hole through the skull is suitable for a 2-3mm chain, but could be made larger upon request.

This will be available as a pendant or as a solid altar-piece.

I’m selling the silver for $255, the shibuichi for $206, the brass for $156, and the bronze for $190.

Seal of Belial

Finally, least for this first round, is the Seal of Belial from the Lesser Key of Solomon.

“The 68th spirit is called Belial, he is a mighty king and powerfull; he was Created next after Lucifer, & is of his order; he appeareth in ye forme of a Beautiful angel sitting in a Charriot of fire, speaking wth a comly voice, declaring that he fell first & amongst ye worthier & wiser sort which went before Michael & other heavenly angels; his office is to distribute preferments of senatorships, and to cause favour of friends & foes, he giveth Excellent familiars & governeth 80 Legions of spirits.” (from the Peterson translation on Esoteric Archives)

Currently available in silver, as a coin or pendant, for $159 US.

In art, witchcraft

Astrological Images: the Image of Saturn Accordig to Picatrix

Author Satyr MagosPosted on

At last, friends, I have delivered unto you another Picatrix Image. Behold the Image of Saturn, according to Picatrix: “a man with a crow-like face and the feet of a camel, sitting upon a throne, with a spear in his right hand and a lance or dart in his left.” Picatrix Book II, Paragraph 11 (Attrell and Porecca, 2019) This is, of course, the same image I chose for my first Saturn talisman design (which I’ve included for comparison).

I penciled the image in my sketchbook, scanned it, and then inked it using Clip Studio Paint, all in essentially one sitting this afternoon. I am particularly proud of the crow-like face, which I think turned out really well.

You are, of course, welcome to use these images in your own planetary magic, but not for commercial purposes.

In art

Spirit Photography I: Conjuring Alkes with Lavender Laura

Author Satyr MagosPosted on

For those who don’t know, spirit photography is an art almost as old as the camera. It purports (with varying degrees of skill and sincerity) to attempt to capture images of spirits on film. Obviously, inevitably, many famous exemplars have been cruel or even criminal hoaxes, and others merely artistic fakes. As a photographer and a magician, I have always wanted to try my hand at it, but while I’m a fine hand at being my own scryer, I’ve never figured out how to be both the conjurer and the photographer. So, finally, I asked for help.

I put out a bat signal on the Green Musheen discord server, run by Luxa Strata of the Lux Occult podcast. Lavender Laura was one of two occultists who volunteered, and it turned out that she lives close enough to me to make a nice roadtrip out of the photoshoot, so I fucked off to southwestern Missouri and spent a lovely weekend with her and her husband. We also did a glamour shoot, the first in what I hope will be a series called Wizard Rizz, but that’s not quite magical enough for this blog.

When it came time to shoot, the division of labor was absolute. The ritual was written and performed by Laura for her own ends. Invoking the Persian Royal Stars for the quarters and the goddess Hekate as intercessor, she called upon the star Alkes for its blessing and aid.

For now, she has this to say about the ritual:

“The humble magician begs to be noticed by the sublime Queen of the Chalice that sits upon the back of Hydra. By the flower scented amphora, a servant of Alkes appears. The blood and perfumed Waters pour down from the empyrean cup and give succour.”

and

“I had been craving an opportunity to grow closer to a celestial spirit and was ecstatic. I felt very dedicated and driven for the ritual and it has only come to mean more to me in the passing days. Looking back at the images I can see that emotion coming forth, and didn’t realize how much I have begun to look like my grandmother.”

The day was hot as shit, and the sun was bright as hell. We waited until the last possible minute to start the ritual, hoping for both some lovely Golden Hour light and a bit of break in the heat. The quickly-fading light made the shoot a bit of a technical challenge; the heat added a degree of physical difficulty, as well.

It was an interesting technical challenge to photograph the ritual without interfering. It was also a little surreal being on the outside of magic that I wasn’t participating in – I am very, very rarely a spectator to others’ work; I’m always either leading or participating. It was fun feeling the power rise, and seeing the spirits respond. But even though I could tell that the ritual was going well, from that perspective, I had no idea if I was managing to capture anything but cool ritual pics.

In the end, I got about a half-dozen images with discernible artifacts, all fairly classic “orbs”. Three appear in the above set; one was in a photo too terrible by every other measure to include; the rest are in a second set, to follow – not quite good enough for this set, or not quite the right vibe, but still too good not to keep and share. It is, of course, possible that these are simple lens flares. But they don’t look like other lens flares I’ve taken, and don’t seem to be in the right place relative to the light sources. I have, of course, edited the photos to make the flares a little more dramatic – they’re still photos – but nothing beyond basic photo development.

If I’m being 100% honest, I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t get more dramatic apparitions. At the same time, though, I’m over the moon that my first spirit photography experiment was as successful as it was.

As I mentioned above, there are more waves of photos coming from from this session: a second set of the ritual that just didn’t quite fit in the tight drama of the above; and some of just the garden, and of the altar – occult themed still lifes of the kind you all know I love.

I said it before and I’ll say it again, it was an honor and a delight to work with Lavender Laura on this. I am unspeakably grateful for her collaboration and her hospitality. And I very much look forward to collaborating with her, again, in the future.

In art, witchcraft

Rite of Her Sacred Fires: Altar Pics and a Few Thoughts

Author Satyr MagosPosted on

At the last Full Moon, the Lunar Shenanigans Crew and I celebrated our sixth(?) annual Rite of Her Sacred Fires. I honestly can’t remember how this one came to our attention – I think Aradia or Juniper brought it up? (This is the accidental Hekate cult, after all.) But it was definitely in the Before Times; I remember being upset that we weren’t able to do it in 2020.

We wind it up a bit, of course, to make it more our style and more a fit for a group activity. Specifically, one of us developed a Hekatean protection circle that we use, and one of us is really big on making offerings to Hestia before any ritual. Some years we’ve worked really hard to make and divide up parts so that everyone has a role. Some years, like this year, someone takes point and leads the whole thing.

It was kind of a weird year for me, and I appreciated Alvianna’s willingness to run the show. I am (as you know if you’ve read my last post, in particular) having something of a crisis of faith; I don’t even know that I could have led the ritual at all, let alone led it and got something out of it.

But I gave it my all. I went all-out on cleaning the house and building the altar. I gave the ritual my undivided attention (inasmuch as that’s a thing that even exists). I did my very best to come in good faith.

And I did get something out of it. Not as much as I have some previous years, but it … wasn’t nothing. Of course, I fucked up and didn’t write it all down right away, so my recollection is super vague, but … it was something. I almost managed some fire scrying. And the goddess was there, which I … wasn’t at all sure she would be. And the offerings were accepted, which I wasn’t sure they would be. (Yes my arrogant ass thought I could bring the whole thing down for everyone in the room.)

And, of course, I took pictures. Before and after (the daylight ones are before; the burning ones are after). And I’m pretty pleased with how they came out, especially the after images.

In art, sorcerer's workbench

At Long Last: Twofold Tiresias

Author Satyr MagosPosted on

Hello, friends!

At long last I present to you the first of this year’s Pride offerings!

I say, “at long last” both because I wanted to have this out two, even three weeks ago, and because I have wanted to make an image of Tiresias since before my first Pride line.

For those of you who don’t know, Tiresias is one of most famous oracles of Greek myth, second only to poor Cassandra. His name is a byword for wisdom and righteousness, and a famed reader of signs and omens. It is he who counsels Cadmus in the Bacchae and Oedipus in Oedipus Rex.

Though I do love him as an initiate of the Dionysiac Mysteries, and as a prophet and diviner, the tale that has made Teresias most dear to my heart is that of his time spent as a woman. Ovid, of course tells the story as a dirty joke, with a punch line about Zeus winning a bet with Hera about who enjoys sex more, but the tale also appears in (pseudo)Apollodorus: how Tiresias came upon two entwined and mating snakes on the road and separated them with his staff and was thereby transformed into a woman, and how some (traditionally seven) years later “restored” his masculinity by separating another pair of mating snakes. (Pseudo Apollodorus’ verseion can be found here, scrolling down just a little to 105; Ovid’s version can be found here.

For my own part, given the assumption (and the account of Apollodorus) that Tiresias gifts of prophesy and divination dated back to his youth among the nymphs of Athena, I take not just the latter transformation but the first as well to be conscious and deliberate choices. That is to say, Tiresias found (or perhaps even sought out) the first pair of snakes in order to spend some years as a woman, and only sought out another pair when it suited her to once more be him. Moreover, in both versions of the story, Tiresias led a full and active life as a woman: whether or not women, generally, have a better time of sex than men, clearly Tiresias had a better time as a woman.

To make this pendant, I looked to Attic red figure pottery for inspiration. I was not able to find any images clearly designated as Tiresias, so instead I chose a generic man with a himation and a staff, and retooled it to my liking. I then reversed the image, removed the beard and changed a visible pectoral for a tit, and soldered the two prototypes back to back.

I am very, very pleased with this image, and may well keep the exemplar for myself.

You can find this piece for sale in my Etsy store.

In art, witchcraft

Image of Venus According to Picatrix

Author Satyr MagosPosted on

“The image of Venus, according to the opinion of the wise Picatrix, is the shape of a woman holding up an apple in her right hand and, in her left, a comb similar to a tablet with these characters written on it: ΟΛΟΙΟΛ. This is her shape.”

Picatrix Book II Chapter 4 Paragraph 27, Trans. Attrell & Porreca (2019)

Drawn and shared with plenty of time for you to prepare before Venus enters Taurus on 4/20.

Use this image as the face of your paper talismans by whatever method you prefer, or to accompany a petition by writing what you want across the face of the image. Hold on to the image for however long feels appropriate, and dispose of it in a similar manner.

In art, witchcraft

Image of the Sun According to Mercurius

Author Satyr MagosPosted on
Image of the Sun According to Mercurius

“The image of the Sun, according to the opinion of Mercurius, is the shape of a man standing on his feet as though wanting to salute those around him, and he is holding in his left hand a round shield; beneath his feet he has the image of a dragon.”

Picatrix Book II Chapter 4 Paragraph 23, Trans. Attrell & Porreca (2019)

Drawn and shared a little later than I’d hoped, but with a little luck you should be able to use this image to catch at least one of this Sol in Aries season’s elections.

Use this image as the face of your paper talismans by whatever method you prefer, or to accompany a petition by writing what you want across the face of the image. Hold on to the image for however long feels appropriate, and dispose of it in a similar manner.

In art, witchcraft

Image of Cancer II

Author Satyr MagosPosted on
a woman in jewels and robes sits on a serpent throne
Image of Cancer II

“The second decan of Cancer is a girl seated on a snake throne, having a beautiful waist. Her body, adorned with jewels, is beautiful, and her garments are of a pale hue. She abounds with politeness and affection.” – Yavana Jataka, Chapter 3 Paragraph 12 (an Indian astrological manual, translator unknown)

Another astrological image from October of 2023 that never made it to the public blog.

I originally drew this image for an election sometime in 2022. It took a while to redo it for public consumption, and then (again) to actually share it publically. There are bits of the linework that I am no longer satisfied with, but I’m trying to err on the side of finishing and sharing things rather than tweaking them obsessively.

Feel free to download and print this image for your own rituals, and to share it with attribution, but please do not use it for any commercial purpose.

In art, witchcraft

Image of the Third Lunar Mansion al Thurayya

Author Satyr MagosPosted on

“The Third Mansion is Azuraye (that is, the Pleiades) and it is for acquiring every good. When the Moon is in this mansion, make the figure of a seated woman holding her right hand above her head and dressed in clothes.” Picatrix Book 4 Chapter Nine Paragraph 31 (trans. Attrell & Porecca 2021)

Picatrix calls the mansion Azuraye, but it is better known by a name given elsewhere: al Thurayya. I have made this image in silver, on a square ring as the Picatrix describes later, and gotten good results from her. I have long wanted to illustrate it for paper petitions, as well.