Jae Fae In Avalon

Glastonbury/Avalon seems to inspire the creative side of many people. It certainly does me. Early efforts included a Tor picture done in chain stitch and this early collage. This was done in about 1992.

For many years sewing was my main creative work. But I had an anxiety induced breakdown in 2004- that was a horrible year- but what came out of that was increased creativity. I began to paint and though I will never be a good artist, my work expresses my spirituality and the Tor creeps into many of my paintings. I also got inspired to make jewellery, to be more creative with my needlework and collage, to do a little bit of sculpture, and I love scrapbooking. Two Glastonbury scrapbooks have been done already and a third is on the way using art cards which I buy on my many visits.

So here are some of my Glastonbury crafts. I only make for myself or as presents as I tend to be very modest about my ability but am happy to take commissions. All ideas are mine, I never plagiarise any elses style so all images copyright Jackie Jae Fae

This Tor collage was displayed at work when we took part in art weeks

The Green Man and the Lady of Avalon. I made this last year

I am making a set of Lady of Avalon wheel of the year pictures to go above my altar.

Mabon

Samhain

Yule

Imbolc

I made this to take offerings of incense and things to Glastonbury and other sacred sites

I even made a Tor hair clip :)

The two Avalon/Glastonbury areas in my bedroom. I adore Philippa Bowers sculptures. The first one I bought was "Isis" in the shop of the same name which was open when I first started going to Glastonbury. Philippa had her own gallery for a while, the original Goddess and the Green Man shop. Then she moved to Tintagel but Star Child carried on selling her work. Now she has her own gallery again where the Pilgrimage centre used to be.

I'll do a second post for my jewellery and sculpture

Aaand.. with this post my visits are recorded up to date so I can add as I visit now. And add some posts about other places and my Avalon spiritual path.

I went down to Glastonbury for an overnight stay at the Chalice Well, where I love to stay if I can get booked in at Little St. Michaels. Usually once I check in I don't go back down into the town again until I have checked out and I realised very strongly this time that I leave the mundane behind and engage spiritual mode as soon as I check in. I take food with me and a selection of herbal tea bags so I can be self sufficient.

The market was on when I arrived so I bought a gorgeous purple and black dress for our work Christmas party from my favourite stall "Young Again". I had a chat to my friend Trevor in the Cat and Cauldron, found out to my delight that Philippa Bowers, whose Goddess sculptures I discovered around the same time that the Goddess called me in the late 80's, has a gallery again. I spent some time meditating and praying in the Goddess temple, and the only other person there was Kathy Jones, I had met her at Goddess in Cornwall weekend some years ago so I had a chat to her. The "Secret Market" was on in the Assembly Rooms too. I bought two lovely meditation CD's from Janet Hale and she told me that I am an Avalonian, which bought a big smile to my face. I think us fellow Avalonians do recognise each other easily.

I arrived at the well around 2.30, and I had Elder room on the ground floor at Little St Michaels, I think I had stayed in that room before. I left my stuff then had a walk round the gardens in the rain. I am now working very closely with "Avalon Within" so I wanted to spend time in the sacred spaces which are the focus of that path, the Red Spring, the White Spring, the Tor and Modron's Mound (Chalice Hill). The White Spring was open and it was amazing, lit just by candles, and in the darkness with the sound of the running water it felt very primordial. I spent quite a long time in there, and I could spend hours just listening to the sound of running water.

It had been windy and wet but the wind had died down so I had another primordial experience, by climbing the Tor. For a short while I was the only person up there, though two more joined me but we all respected that each of us wanted to be alone. The sky was grey, there was rain on the breeze and I loved it. No sunset due to the cloud but I came back down as dusk fell. I took some photos at the botttom hoping to catch some orbs (success!) and a man was just coming down so we had a chat, and he said I had orbs all round me!

I spent a couple of hours in the gardens in the evening. That is one of the loveliest things about staying at the well, being able to go out there at any time. I never feel afraid out there in the dark. I tak a torch and walk slowly to make sure I don't slip or trip. My mind is a very busy one so meditation doesn't always come easy. But sat my the waterfall on my own in the dark, just listening to the sound of the water flowing, it did. The more I listened, the more tones and sounds I could hear. It was blissful. There were people on the Tor with torches.

In the morning I spent as long as I could in the gardens until checking out time, sitting and listening and watching the birds.

On this visit I dedicated myself to my own solo Avalon druid path. I have been on that path for so many years and I decided it was time to dedicate as an Avalonian. My first instinct on my Pagan awakening back in 1988/9 was to follow the path of Druidry and I realise so much that is the path for me. Living in harmony with nature and the cycle of the seasons, and doing most of my spiritual work internally through deep thought and meditation. I am a Druidess.

And of course.. I took a few photos!