Paganicon 2017

Using wildcrafting materials from greater Minnesota ( and items you want to bring) we will create a woodland spirit doll an talk about wilcrafting (finding art and craft materials in the wild and or gathering wild foods and the ethics involved) and the ways a woodland spirit doll can be used as not only a work of art, but also as a way to welcome nature into your home.

What makes an altar, shrine, or temple beautiful and satisfactory to the devotee and to the spirits or deities honored? What is beauty, and how are our standards of what is beautiful shaped by the values of our culture, religion, and spiritual practice? What are the principles that guide the creation of sacred places? In this facilitated discussion, we will explore a variety of sacred places and reflect upon the aesthetics of their culture of origin. We will also grapple with why we may judge them beautiful or not. Come to this session willing to feast your eyes, mind, and soul in images from around the world and to fully engage in thoughtful conversation about them.

Helga Hedgewalker and Estelle Daniels are collaborating on a revised and expanded version of their earlier work—Color a Magick Spell. This book consists of images based on the Major Arcana of the tarot. They will talk about the original collaboration and how the new version was brainstormed and what images they choose to use, with images from the original book, and new ones as well. The book is due out fall 2017 through Llewellyn Publications.

Kitties in witch hat fascinators? check!
Elvis and Marilyn as Lord and Lady? check!
Crowley's "Hymn to Pan" interpreted by Wallace Shawn? check!

What is kitsch in Pagan art, and what is not, and what is the boundary between them? Come explore this topic with the Minneapolis Collective of Pagan Artists (MCPA) in a show and tell and share discussion!

Some ideas and working definitions will be offered but this is definitely the place to bring your opinion-- and examples! We invite all who are interested to bring EXAMPLES of Pagan kitsch-- pictures, objects, ritual anecdotes, kitschy songs, etc.-- to share. "Witch Kitsch" in all its variety is one great field -- what other kinds of Pagan kitsch are out there?

Some in the larger art world think ALL Pagan art is kitsch because it's Pagan art: we disagree. But where are the boundaries? When does art in Pagan culture slip into kitsch? And what is the difference between "good" kitsch (fun entertaining, tongue-in-cheek) and "bad" kitsch (serious art fail)?

What is the difference between [Pagan] kitsch, schmaltz, camp, and schlock? Can any bad art be kitsch or does it take more? Can well-done art be kitsch? What's so good-- or so bad --about PAGAN KITSCH?

Starry Nights - a short film by Dodie Graham McKay (The WinniPagans, Cooking the Revolution) There once was a time when earlier generations could look up at the night sky and observe the cosmos in all of its glory. The depth and range of the stars were obvious,far beyond what we can see today. Our ancestors created art, philosophy, religion and culture, based on how they perceived their place in the universe. This film follows pagan author, Kerr Cuhulain (Charles Ennis) as he meets the amateur astronomers who are helping reconnect the public to the wonder and beauty of the night sky.
The filmmaker will be on hand to introduce the film, and a Q & A will follow the screening.

Attention. Vision. Willingness. Transgression. Manifestation. What does it mean to walk the path of an artist? An artist is one who crosses the boundaries between the worlds to bring something back with them into manifestation. An artist is one who follows their vision with keen attention and infinite curiosity. An artist is one who tells the truth of their journeys to help make the world a better place. An artist is one who, through their work, holds up a mirror in which we can see our deepest shadows and our brightest selves. This workshop will focus on the Artist as personified within the Order of the Elemental Mysteries, an esoteric mystery tradition with a four-fold path of Artist, Warrior, Healer, and Steward.

Pagan Artists: Spiritual and Creative Process
Are you a Pagan artist? Or are you just interested in the creative and spiritual process of artists? Join a panel of Pagan artists for a lively and varied discussion, and perhaps even some demonstration. We’ll explore how our Pagan spirituality intersects with our creative process, art as a process for personal practice, creativity magic, and more. Do you create art that reflects your practice? How do you bring spirituality into your art? Are you curious about how to use creativity magic even if you don’t consider yourself an artist? Bring your questions, thoughts, and ideas!

Artist, designer, and author Laura Tempest Zakroff will share with you the processes behind the creation of her art and the items she designs, and where it merges with magick, spellcraft, and devotional work. She will also guide you through how to consider integrating art and design into your own practice.

The use of herbal potions and liquid mixtures extends back almost as far as the written word. In ages past when the worlds of medicine and spirit were synonymous, potions were the first resource for all issues of both a physical and spiritual nature. Steeped in stereotype and fictional folklore, discover the joy of making your own expertly crafted potions for health, luck, money, protection, power, spiritual journeying, and more.

This hands-on workshop will involve crafting your own spray potion for cleansing and purification that you'll be able to take home with you.