This is a handcrafted linocut print inspired by the Slavic folk heroine and wilderness creatrix and witch, Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga is a courageous crone who dares to dance with the dying and also the mystical old mother who midwifes new life. She is a time spinner, a bone picker, a magic maker, a wild forager, a wilderness wanderer, a dream weaver, and stories of her are almost always subversive. . .Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estés calls ancient elders like the Baba Yaga “Dangerous Old Women”. She considers the Dangerous Old Woman to be first and foremost a “Protectress”, a woman who guards the soul, who voices our deepest longings, who embraces our most heartbreaking pain. Bold and brave, soft and fierce, these ancient elders deepen our stories. . .

PRINT SIZE: 12" x 18"

PAPER SIZE: 16" x 22"

MATERIALS: It is printed with Caligo Safewash (non-toxic) Relief Ink on either Handmade Hosho Paper or Strathmore Paper, both of which are archival quality. Hosho paper is a cultural heritage paper that has been handcrafted from the branches of the kozo, gampi and mitsumata trees for hundreds of years. It is acid-free and archival quality and has a rustic natural handmade feel with deckled edge. Strathmore Paper Mills are located in Massachusetts where my studio is. Strathmore is a smooth, bright white, modern looking paper made of 100% cotton acid-free fiber.

COLOR: It is printed with a hand-mixed dark Prussian blue. You may also request a custom color, it will take 3-5 days to print and dry before shipping.

STORY DETAILS:

This artwork is inspired by a specific Baba Yaga folktale entitled "Katrina and the Bright Falcon" which appears in the January 2021 issue of Cricket Magazine. In this story a young girl, Katrina, undergoes a rite-of-passage from innocence to experience, and Baba Yaga plays a transformative role in her developmental journey. It is about staying true to your heart, and this is represented through Katrina’s pursuit of and relationship with a Wild Falcon whom she marries in the end. Unlike most folktales of Baba Yaga that represent her as a wicked witch who eats children and decorates her yard with skeletons, in this folktale, the Baba Yaga is a wilderness survival expert, and nurturing elder who is key to Katrina’s success.

This artwork includes the following details: Katrina and the falcon at her window; Baba Yaga's little cabin on chicken legs in the forest; the castle where the Falcon lives and where Katrina's journey takes her; the Baba Yaga herself! I have also included a small grove of birch trees because they are associated with magic, mythology, and feminine power and the Baba Yaga is known to live in the heart of a birch forest and she sweeps with a silver birch broom in her hands!

GIFT IDEAS: This would make a great gift for a woman who is entering into elderhood, and transitioning into her second half of life because this story reminds us that even though the Baba Yaga is old and people all around have a negative opinion about her, she is powerful, wild and full of experience and this is her true gift. It would also be wonderful for someone on their journey towards their most authentic self, especially someone who must give up someone or something in order to stay true to themselves (in the folktale Katrina realizes she must make the difficult decision to leave her family to stay true to herself). Finally, it is generally a great gift for a witch, pagan, folklore lover and anyone who loves the wilderness.

ECO-PACKAGING: This print will be carefully rolled in Kraft paper, packed in a recycled clear bag and shipped in a recycled cylindrical tube. FeathersandFolktales uses eco-friendly packaging supplies from EcoEnclose and YazooMills.A one-page insert including a description of the folktale is included with the print.

Free Shipping within the USA. Ships out within 1-3 business days.

Flat rate international shipping for $35.00

Questions? Please feel free to email diemdangers@gmail.com or contact me here. you will get a response within 24 hours.

Feathers & Folktales is a woman-owned, Massachusetts-based art shop offering handcrafted linocut prints of timeless folktales from around the world that remind us of our ancient kinship with the wild. These archival quality linocut prints are a labor of love: they are 100% conceived, designed, carved, inked, pulled and packaged by hand for you from a small home studio. Featuring animals and magical creatures from folklore alongside wide variety of botanical elements, each piece contains a precious offering from the past, a mythos, that can enliven our sense of enchantment with the natural world.

Please note that the copyright of this work is retained by the artist.