Creation of the Hecate. The Triple Goddess

We all have bad and good days, days when we feel happier and days when we feel more irritable and aggravated. Currently, in my life, I am blessed enough not to have a job or annoying people around me, so I barely have any external factors that could affect me and my mood. My days, for someone, would sound boring; I have a stable everyday routine, and each day is similar to another. I stick to a healthy diet, get enough night sleep, and don't have any bad habits. I think I like this stability, and nevertheless... Do you feel that already from the moment you open your eyes, the course of a day is already somehow settled? Without even being able to consciously realize if there are any disturbing factors to it yet.

I started guessing - why do some days just feel different? That led me to the hormonal cycle in women first and to the moon cycle in space second.

From the Sailor Moon cartoons to these days, I rediscovered the Moon and its possible influences on people. The Moon plays a crucial role in shaping life on Earth, influencing water dynamics, human activities, and potentially even biological rhythms. Everyone can be skeptical, me too, but let's give it a shot. Facts that the Moon affects nature on Earth are undoubted. Here are a few of them:

• Tides: The moon exerts a gravitational pull on the Earth, which is most prominently observed in the oceans. This gravitational force is responsible for the phenomenon of tides. The moon's gravity causes the water in the oceans to bulge out on the side of the Earth facing the moon, creating a high tide. There is also a corresponding high tide on the opposite side due to the centrifugal force of the Earth-moon system.

• Regular Cycles: Tides follow a predictable cycle, with two high tides and two low tides occurring approximately every 24 hours. This regularity affects marine life and ecosystems.

• Influence on Marine Life: Many marine species, such as crabs and fish, have adapted their reproductive cycles to the tidal rhythms, ensuring that their young are released at optimal times for survival.

Human beings are indeed composed of approximately 75% water, and the moon has a significant influence on bodies of water. For me, it raises the question of whether the moon can also affect humans. (The answer is it is not how it works and hardly has anything to do with water in humans). It's not that I never heard about the Lunar Calendar before, but I never looked into it that precisely. And once I did, I had no choice but to agree that the moon phases and the astrological signs it is in do have some influence on at least my personal life, behavior, and emotions.

In astrology, "challenging moon days" occur around the full moon, new moon, lunar phase transitions, near a lunar eclipse, and when the moon is "void of course," as these times can intensify emotions, energy, and potential conflict.

So when out of the blue I get up and feel on edge, I already know that it has to do with the Moon today - I look into the calendar (this is the best website to track lunar days, it gives the full information on each day: https://geocult.org/lunar-calendar ) and usually it is a day that is considered challenging. There are days when I wake up and feel up to intense physical activities, or when during the day I suddenly feel an urge to play with my tarot deck (days that are the best for divinations or esoteric knowledge), or days when I don't feel any energy... etc.

I am not insisting that it is going to be the same for all people, but for me, it kind of works like this on most days. It's important to note that the influence of moon days can vary for individuals based on their personal natal chart. Factors such as:

• Moon sign

• Aspects to natal planets

• Current transits

can influence how one experiences these lunar phases. Research on the lunar effect on human beings is ongoing. Some studies have indicated slight correlations, while others have found no significant effects. More rigorous scientific investigation is needed to draw definitive conclusion, however, the Moon has been a source of inspiration in art, literature, and various cultural practices, influencing festivals and rituals based on lunar phases. That's where the idea of the Hecate painting started to emerge from.

If you delve into the rich tapestry of various mythologies and folklore tales from around the world, you will find that many goddesses associated with the Moon emerge from diverse cultures, each embodying unique attributes and symbolism. However, amidst this celestial pantheon, I have always found myself drawn to something that evokes a sense of darkness, controversy, and mystery; this fascination has led me to the powerful figure of the Goddess Hecate. She embodies a vast spectrum of meanings - mysticism, transformation, wisdom, liminality, and the connection between life, death, and rebirth - all compressed into a single deity.

My sketch of the Hecate

Traditionally, Hecate is depicted as a Triple Goddess, representing the three primary phases of a woman’s life: the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. These archetypes also correspond to the visible lunar phases—waxing moon (Maiden/Artemis), full moon (Mother/Hecate), and waning moon (Crone). However, in my interpretation, I chose to expand upon this symbolism by incorporating the New Moon, which is often overlooked. This phase, painted as a void-like abyss of pure black, represents the unseen, the hidden potential, and the vast unknown—a stage of renewal before the cycle begins anew. The New Moon as the abyss, the unseen, the void of potential—a phase often associated with death and rebirth.

The New Moon

One of my primary artistic objectives was to depict Hecate not as she is traditionally perceived from Earth, but as she might appear if she were the moon itself, viewed from the vastness of space. Our perception of the moon’s glow is largely an atmospheric illusion; the Earth's atmosphere scatters light, making the moon appear luminous from our perspective. However, in the vacuum of space, the moon is a cold, reflective celestial body. I sought to remove the conventional atmospheric glow and instead present the raw, unembellished reality of the moon as a cosmic entity suspended in infinite darkness.

To reinforce this astronomical connection, I incorporated zodiac constellations in the background, referencing the moon’s constant movement through the zodiac signs—a key aspect of astrological traditions. Moreover, I designed the composition to create a sense of cyclical motion, mirroring the perpetual lunar cycle and the rhythm of a woman’s life. Through precise optical manipulation, including variations in contrast, edge softness, and directional composition, I sought to induce a subtle rotational illusion, evoking the moon’s eternal orbit.

The most challenging and rewarding aspect of the painting was achieving a true lunar surface texture for Hecate’s form. This was accomplished through a meticulous process of layering approximately 30 semi-transparent oil glazes, allowing light to pass through and interact with each layer. This method creates a sense of depth and luminosity that mimics the way the moon's surface reflects sunlight but does not emit light of its own. The result is a cold, mysterious shine that conveys subtle feminine energy - an ethereal radiance distinct from the fiery, self-generating light of the sun.

Additionally, I incorporated the Hecate’s Wheel (Strophalos) into the background—a symbol historically associated with her mystical knowledge and dominion over fate, crossroads, and the hidden forces of the universe. The inclusion of this ancient emblem reinforces the theme of cosmic order and perpetual motion, aligning with the painting’s broader exploration of cycles, transformation, and the liminality between light and darkness.

This work is a fusion of mythology, astronomy, and artistic technique, designed not only to honor the figure of Hecate but also to evoke the deeper mysteries of the moon—both as a celestial body and as an enduring symbol of the subconscious, transformation, and feminine power.

Hecate. The Triple Goddess

Here are the details and close-ups of the finished piece. If you are interested in purchase, visit my Store or Contact me if you have any questions.