'The Helen Duncan Witchcraft Trial' - A recent spooky, spirit art commission that I have enjoyed working on.

A Spooky story from Zoe Ellis Moore

As well as concentrating on my fine art practice and doing a bit of en plein air painting with Art North Wales over the summer, I have also been working on a very exciting illustration and portrait commission for a book which is currently being written about the 'Helen Duncan Witchcraft Trial'. Helen Duncan being the last person in Britain to be convicted under the witchcraft act of 1735 and thus earning the unfortunate title of 'Britain's Last Witch'.

The commission was born of an idea from a professor at St Andrew's University who came across a print of one of my spirit inspired paintings hanging in a church in Edinburgh. The initial brief became an exciting collaboration over time and has been unlike anything else I have undertaken during my career as an artist.

I was asked to create illustrations/portraits of some of the characters involved in the trial (nine in total including Helen herself) and to document my spirit art process as I attempted to connect with their discarnate spirits.

What followed was an incredible journey of triumphs and failures which I was able to learn from and build upon to enhance my practice. I have always had an interest in spiritualism, mysticism and the occult paired with art and a healthy sense of scepticism, so this project ticked every box for me. I'm looking forward to sharing more about my experiences of this collaboration with you after the book has been published.

'Spirit of Helen Duncan' - oils on canvas (Britain's last witch)

This is the finished portrait of Helen Duncan and the only reference available for this artwork was an old, blurry black and white photograph so it was quite a challenge.

The imagery involved (the pink rose and triple moon design) derives from clairvoyant visions and various other prompts from spirit (clairaudient and clairsentient to be specific). The pink rose representing the spiritual gift that was thrust upon her from above, the rosebud representing how that gift was problematic and unable to bloom as it should have done while Helen was alive. The triple moon design being indicative of her infamous and unfortunate title of 'Britain's Last Witch', the pink in this design echoing the pink of the rose...the colour of love and spirituality.

For more information contact Zoe Ellis Moore - www.zoellismoore.com