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Celtic Tree Art Prints
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Celtic tree art prints inspired by the Celtic tree calendar...
This was my lockdown project, an idea that had been in my head but I felt I couldn't justify creating, but once lockdown hit, I thought it would be the perfect time.
I took a year to complete the project, stretching from Spring 2020 to 2021, working on the next tree to come up in the calendar each month.
The Celtic tree calendar actually has 13 months and not 12 - as it's based around lunar months of 28 days.
As beautiful as the idea is, the Celtic tree calendar was not the form of calendar used by the Celts, but is a creation of Robert Graves in his book 'The White Goddess'. It does however use as its basis a form of tree alphabet used by Celtic people in Britain and Ireland, called the tree ogham, where the letters were named after the native trees.
Celtic Tree Calendar art printsI love the idea of the Celtic tree calendar so much and I really think it helps us to appreciate our beautiful trees and feel more connected to nature and the seasons...
Rowan tree - framed and unframed art prints are available for all artworks in a variety of different formatsThe Celtic Tree Calendar Year
- December 24th to January 20th – Birch
- January 21st to February 17th – Rowan
- February 18th to March 17th – Ash
- March 18th to April 14th – Alder
- April 15th to May 12th – Willow
- May 13th to June 9th – Hawthorn
- June 10th to July 7th – Oak
- July 8th to August 4th – Holly
- August 5th to September 1st – Hazel
- September 2nd to September 29th – Vine
- September 30th to October 27th – Ivy
- October 28th to November 23rd – Reed
- November 24th to December 23rd - Elder
See the images below for more about the meaning and symbolism of each tree...
Celtic Tree Art Prints
My Celtic tree artworks have been created from my own drawings of the trees, Celtic knotwork, and my own calligraphy lettering.
Each of the Celtic tree art prints is available as a version with or without dates (of the related Celtic tree calendar month) - there's framed and unframed fine art prints of various sizes, plus other goodies like T-shirts, mugs, notebooks, bags, throws and throw pillows, phone and laptop cases and lots more...
Click on the links below to be taken straight to each version in my Redbubble store with worldwide delivery...
The name following each English tree name below, is the tree ogham name for the tree letter in each case.
Birch (Beith)- December 24th to January 20th
The beautiful silver branches of the birch are the perfect wintery image for this period of deep midwinter. People also used to use birch branches to drive out the Old Year on 31st December.
Themes for birch are new endeavours, creativity, fertility, healing, and protection.
Rowan (Luis) - January 21st to February 17th
The rowan was traditionally considered a magical and protective tree. Its twigs were bound with red thread as crosses or 'sun wheels' and used to protect a home. These crosses are seen as linked to the St. Brigid crosses made for St. Brigid's day on 1st February.
Themes for rowan are hearth and home, family, personal power, spirituality, success, protection.
Ash (Nuin) February 18th to March 17th
The ash is a strong and powerful tree, believed to be the original 'World Tree' or 'Yggdrasil'. Odin is said to have created the first man from the ash. He sheltered in the World Tree for winter, and went forth to populate the Earth with the first woman in Spring.
Themes for ash are inner self, spirituality, magic, dreams.
Alder (Fearn) March 18th to April 14th
In Ancient Greece, the god Cronos is associated with the alder tree. Cronos is also known as ‘Fearinus’ which means ‘of the dawn of the year’ (Spring) which also relates to the Gaelic ogham name for alder ‘fearn’.
Themes for alder are spirituality, intuitiveness, decisions, divination.
Willow (Saille) April 15th to May 12th
Willow has long been a healing and protective tree for humans. People would cut pussy willow branches for Palm Sunday and then use them to protect their home for the rest of the year.
Themes for willow are healing, growth, protection, women, nurturing.
Hawthorn (Huath) May 13th to June 9th
Hawthorn is also known as 'May' and its flowers as 'May blossom'. It was used in the May Day celebrations (which fell in the middle of May in the old pre-1752 calendars) and a May Queen was chosen amongst villagers to help bring in the Spring, joining with the Oak King (representing Summer).
Themes for hawthorn are fertility, masculine energy, fire, business and professional, magical protection, connections.
Celtic oak tree artOak (Duir) June 10th to July 7th
Oak is traditionally seen as the 'King of the Forest'. Its wood was burned for the midsummer fires. It was also associated with thunder and was often kept as a talisman to protect a home from being struck by lightning.
Themes for oak are strength, power, fertility, luck, success.
Holly (Tinne) July 8th to August 4th
Traditionally the Christmas evergreen and associated with winter - medieval plays in summer showed struggles between the Oak King (Summer) and the Holly King (Winter) - the Holly King must win to bring in the winter, starting now as the nights start drawing in to autumn.
Themes for holly are immortaility, rebirth, masculine energy, protection, strength, safety.
Hazel (Coll) August 5th to September 1st
Hazel is a very useful tree, providing strong, supple branches and delicious hazelnuts in autumn. In Celtic times it was also the Tree of Wisdom or Knowledge.
Themes for hazel are life force, wisdom, protection, knowledge, the creative muse.
Vine (Muin) September 2nd to September 29th
Sometimes believed to refer to a grapevine, blackberry (bramble) is often thought to be the more likely 'tree' referred to as 'muin' (vine) here as it's a British native plant. It was frequently believed that blackberries should only be picked before September 29th (dates can vary according to where in the country you are).
Themes for blackberry are harvest, happiness, wrath, passion, ambition, balance.
Ivy (Gort) September 30th to October 27th
Ivy is part of the delicate ecosystem of trees, providing support for older trees and supplying nectar and fruit through the autumn and winter months when other trees stop flowering. Also associated in medieval times with wine and merriment.
Themes for ivy are rebirth, cleansing, self-improvement, boundaries, healing, protection, cooperation.
Reed (Ngetal) October 28th to November 23rd
'Reed' may refer to fern or bracken, broom, or the reed - likely any plant used for thatching, fuel, bedding, mulch. Fern was seen as a very magical plant which could confer the gift of invisibility.
Themes for fern are divination, wind, spirituality, energy, meditation, death and rebirth.
Elder (Ruis) November 24th to December 23rd
The beautiful elder is associated with the fairy Elder Mother, its guardian, who came to be linked with the Cailleach, or wise old woman of winter.
Themes for elder are endings, rebirth, creativity, renewal, protection, magic.
Celtic Tree of Life Art
The Celtic Tree of Life is an ancient symbol of life, representing the circle or cycle of life, with roots in the underworld, trunk in the Earthly realms and branches in the heavens.
It's a beautiful icon and one that I love to interpret in my own artwork. Here are two beautiful examples of my Celtic Tree of Life illustrations (there's also another at the bottom of the page, if you're a crafter, too!)...
Click below to buy each as Tree art prints and other products in my Redbubble store...
Where to go next...
If you've enjoyed my Celtic tree art prints, you might also like my Celtic nature artworks here...
Or my botanical and floral art prints here...
You can see all my art on this page, plus at my Redbubble store where you can purchase framed and unframed art prints, plus clothing, home decor and accessories, all with my designs...
You can also browse all my art stockists here...
If you like nature and creativity, you might enjoy nature journaling - find out here...
Celtic Tree of Life DIY shadow box to craftIf you're a crafter with a cutting machine, or enjoy papercutting by hand, you might also like my Celtic Tree of Life DIY shadow box craft file - find it here...
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