FAQ about commissions in the last part of this blog.
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by D.
Only four months ago the idea to craft a clay statue was utopia for me.
I have always taught I have no talent for art. My draws have anything special, my ability with colors is childish and, in general, I have always considered myself a very poor artist. I tried again and again every coloration method, every drawing technique, but I never managed anything and I never managed to put on paper what was in my mind or I perceived during rituals. Basically I’ve always used others to draw accordingly to my instructions.
When M. left our coven in January, they were the only one with some skills with clay. I thought a lot if I want to test myself with sculpture and I started looking at tutorials to understand the basics. In the end, I decided to try and I bought the necessary. After all we would reuse the material for something else, but it was fair to make a try, both for my siblings and all those who was waiting for our work.
There’s a Mighty Dead, T., to which our coven is still deeply bounded with, that in life was skilled with clay – in fact as long as he was alive, T. was the one to deal with clay for statues, fetiches and others for us. So I asked for his help, and he offered me his guide and advice, even if in a very uncommon way. He staid by my side teaching me tricks and guiding my hands. We crafted the first forms of the statue, and day by day I realized that, with T.’s instructions and advice, I was able to bring in clay what was in my head. I wasn’t so approximate and clumsy as I was on paper, I was able to work with a reasonable accuracy.
Of course, I am still far from perfection, and I am aware that this statue has many flaws and errors, and I have a wide range of improvement, but I am happy, satisfied and proud of myself. This is my very first work (even if I consider it a goal both for me and T.) and I never expected to be able to do something like this.
So I would thank T. with my whole heart, for believing in me and give me strength, for his precious teachings and patience, for encouraging me and enduring when I thought to destroy everything starting all over again. It may sound odd, but sometimes a supernatural guide is much better than many words by the living.
I would also thank J, E and F for supporting me and for laughing at my endless monologues mumbled between me and the statue, and for listening to me, calming me down and help me throughout the whole crafting process. It is always nice to see how the team up, between us (me and my siblings) and our Beloved Dead is our true strength and it always works great. Maybe our coven is used to interface too familiarly with our Dead, and for sure sometimes we lack of formality, but everything works good, and we are deeply grateful for Their help – and we will work harder and harder to celebrate them and their heritage, cultural and spiritual.
In the end, I’d thank M too. If they won’t decide to leave the coven and leave vacant the “sculptor role” I would never have ventured into this work, I would never have discovered what I was looking for and how much I love sculpting – so my sincere thanks to you too. I hope that you’re living the same happiness and satisfaction that I am experimenting since the very beginning of this hard work.
Always overcome your insecurities, to find the truth about your skills – what you have, what you haven’t.
Insecurity, fear, false modesty, blame for yourself: these all are nothing but chains that prevent you from being yourself at your best, and in the sincerest way. They imprison you in a social, demiurgic, maze that disfigures your true being. I don’t want these things in my life any more.
So thank you again, to all of you, mentioned or not, to gave me the chance to be more adherent to myself and understand something new about me. This is just the very beginning, the first of a series of sculptures with clay. Someone else in the coven will take care to pain them accordingly.
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Commissions are officially open.
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In the end, I’d answer the questions received on Instagram a few days ago.
Which material did you use?
A fine quality of white clay, with a core of iron, wood and fabric. I mixed Graveyard Dirt and other herbs in the clay – of course the blend of herbs and powders will change accordingly to the nature of the fetiche.
How long did it take for you to craft it?
I don’t know exactly, but almost 60-80 hours in 2-3 months. This will be approximately the time needed for a commission.
Why did you change the shape of the chest area? There were ribs there, isn’t it?
Yes, there were ribs there. During the crafting process many things changed, and from this some flaws and disproportion depend on. Basically, for our coven, the statue-making, or telestiké, is a mystical process, so I was constantly “in contact” with the subject of the statue (Tanathos) – and He decided that I had to change certain details.
Furthermore, the inner skeleton in wood and iron was studied for a different result, so I was forced to accept some compromises. Anyway, now I am much more aware about the work and its implications, so I won’t repeat the same mistakes.
What is “telestiké”?
According to Greek religion, Theurgia and Neoplatonism, telestiké is a mystical and initiatory technique that consist in crafting statues and consecrating them evoking the Spirit of a divinity into the fetiches. The technique is based on the belief that every Divine essence correspond to certain natural elements (woods, bones, metals, etc.) that can be gathered together to craft a proper vehicle for the divine manifestation. For this reason the crafting process is sacred for its very beginning to its very end, and must be treated as a highly sacred task.
Do you accept commission?
Yes, one at a time.
I’ll ask a deposit of half the final price, not refundable.
What commissions are you going to accept?
Exclusively those I feel aligned with. Perhaps not only subjects related to Anticosmic/Antinomic philosophy, but for sure subjects that I can comprehend and align with. For example, don’t ask me to realize a statue of a “Gothic angel Lilith”: I don’t want myself related with something like this.
I am open to anything else. Of course if I don’t fell able because a lack of skills, I will honestly refuse.
What do you need for a commission?
A detailed description of the subject, a sketch, and other guidelines that we will discuss privately. The more information you give me, the better I can work.
Do you accept commissions for fetiches and other simulacrum for Spirits?
Yes, with the same rules explained above.
