S. Elizabeth (aka Mlle Ghoul) is an author of blogs and books focusing on art and the supernatural. Her books include, The Art of the Occult: A Visual Sourcebook for the Modern Mystic.
What does "occult" really mean? S. Elizabeth states, "...the term 'occult art' has tended to conjure up images of devils, demons and shocking Satanic imagery"this is a good moment to point out that the term 'occult' simply means 'hidden' and is derived from the Latin, occullere, meaning to cover over, hide or conceal.
In essence, occult art is derived from our search for hidden knowledge of ourselves and our place in the universe."
MAB:
Thanks for visiting with us today, S. Elizabeth. I love your book, The Art of the Occult: A Visual Sourcebook for the Modern Mystic - it is beautifully presented, and the images are so captivating. What inspired you to write this book?
SE:
Life has a way of pushing open unexpected doors. Writing this particular book wasn't in my life plan. I had actually just written a blog post a month before detailing why I wasn't really interested in writing a book, prompted by all the times people asked me, "So, when are you going to write a book?"
The metaphorical ink was barely dry on that confessional when the invitation for this book landed-and despite what I had written -- I guess the lesson is, never say never! -- this opportunity felt like the right key unlocking a hidden chamber in my creative landscape.
The truth is, the occult has always simmered in the corner of my curiosity. From childhood bookshelves stuffed with myth and magic to a teenage fascination with tarot cards and witchcraft, it's a world that's always beckoned.
So when the publisher approached me, it felt like the universe whispering, 'Time to explore that curiosity!'
And through that, The Art of the Occult was born.
Suddenly, I was delving, not willy-nilly with the manic midnight research of a casual blogger, but with the determination and proper intent of someone who now has a contract and deadlines to fulfill, into mystical symbols, alchemical riddles, and the secrets of artists and philosophers whispered from the beyond- and weaving it all into a tapestry of art and meaning.
The book became a guided tour through the newfound inspiration of these thrilling discoveries (with a healthy pinch of having my latent ambition goosed-I guess I did want to write a book, after all!)
MAB:
Wow, that's quite an adventure. In your book, you say, "art-making is magic- making," I love that -- can you share with readers what you mean by that?
Die Dunklen Götter (The Dark Gods). 1957. Max Ernst
(Image by Page from The Art of the Occult) Details DMCA
SE:
I've always found myself captivated by Waterhouse's 'Circe Invidiosa.' It wasn't just a woman weaving spells; it was a storm brewing on canvas, jealousy crackling in the air, thick and electric, threatening to swallow her whole.
But for all that fraught tempest of nastiness, there's this incredibly fierce, mutinous beauty. I'm sure it wasn't the first time this happened to me, but it's the first time I actively recall feeling that shivery whisper, that secret thrill- this wasn't just a painting; it was a portal.
That, for me, is the essence of art-making as magic-making. It's about conjuring emotions as palpable as brushstrokes, manipulating not just pigments, but the very currents of our perception.
As Alan Moore said, it's a language of symbols, a dance with unseen forces. Circe isn't just a jealous sorceress; she's a mirror reflecting our own inner storms, our tangled desires, our hidden potential.
And when we, the spellbound viewers, step into these creations, we become co-conspirators in the magic. We chase the echoes of our own emotions through labyrinthine brushstrokes. We lose ourselves in the world conjured and emerge a little changed - more aware of the magic swirling within us, the hidden spells we weave with every thought and word.
It's this kindred connection, this sense of shared sorcery, that fuels my exploration. I immerse myself in the works and imaginations of artists like Waterhouse, searching not just for their stories but for my own.
Every hint of emotion, every hidden symbol, becomes a clue in the search, a spark to ignite my own creative alchemy, the magic of my own potential.
MAB:
Yes, Waterhouse is also one of my favorite artists! And one of my favorite lines from your book is, "There is transformative magic in both the creative process and the participatory act of observing an artistic creation...there is a great deal to be learned from both the process and practice of actively conjuring a work of art from the blank slate of the ether and passively witnessing its form, function and details - and from your interpretation of its meaning, learning as much about yourself as you do about the actual work."
So, how did you get interested in the intersection of art and the occult?
SE:
I think it had a lot, maybe even everything, to do with my mother. I grew up in a single-parent household and my mother was cursed with an eye for beautiful things but not a lot of money to indulge in the gorgeous things she wanted. She made do with thrift store and garage sale finds, candles and scarves and statuary, draped and glowing and mysterious.
The art on our walls were mainly posters in cheap frames, but she had a knack for sourcing marvelous things; in a time before eBay and internet shops, somehow she'd gotten her hands on stunning art deco Erte' prints, and massive reproductions of the bold and shocking major arcana from Lady Freda Harris' Thoth Tarot. She also had dozens of regular-size tarot decks tucked into intricately carved wooden boxes secreted all around our home, and I would often lose myself shuffling through them, in awe at all the myriad, colorful depictions of these mystifying archetypes.
My mother hung out with a very New Age crowd and while she often worked up astrological charts for her friends, funny enough I can't recall a single instance of her doing a tarot reading. Maybe much like me, she was simply entranced by the captivating artwork on the cards.
As I grew older I often found myself seeking out and resonating with art (and literature, cinema, music, and fashion, too!) that either directly or obliquely explored its subject through an occult lens, and that has remained an enduring fascination.
MAB:
Well, I think I love your mother! And I have a tarot card fetish too, I love all the artwork, and I probably have over 100 decks, including one I designed.
What was something that you found surprising while researching the book?
SE:
While the content didn't really make it into my book, reading up on the weird and wondrous writing of surrealist artist Remedios Varo was an unexpectedly weird delight.
Alchemy or the Useless Science. 1958. Remedios Varo.
(Image by Page from The Art of the Occult) Details DMCA
Lists and letters, recipes and spells, strange scientific parodies and theatre pieces, combining mundane domestic references with supernatural sentiments and cosmic musings on the divine and the outrageously absurd -reading these snippets and fragments added an additional depth of wildness, wonder, and wackiness to this artist's already multi-layered and extra-dreamy artworks.
MAB:
I love her work, although I've only seen one original, The Call, it was stunning. It is in the collection of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in DC.
I know you have two other books in this series, The Art of Fantasy and The Art of Darkness . and I'm looking forward to chatting with you about them, too. Meanwhile, where can your books be purchased? And is there anything else you'd like to share?
SE:
My books can be purchased wherever books are sold, or online Here
MAB:
Thanks for visiting with us, this was fun and enlightening!
SE:
Thank you for sharing this space with me and for listening to my musings! Our conversation and connection have been a spark of brightness during these cold winter months. If your kindred readers seek to further fan the flames of wonderment and curiosity, join me on my blog or gather around the bonfire on Instagram!
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Find S. Elizabeth here:
Blog https://unquietthings.com/buy-my-book/
Instagram https://instagram.com/ghoulnextdoor/
Twitter https://twitter.com/mlleghoul
Youtube https://youtube.com/c/MlleGhoul
