verdantlady

[verdantlady]

Some of my favourite illustrations I’ve made 2024

[verdantlady]

what doesn't kill you makes you weird at intimacy

[verdantlady]

We'll meet again someday

[verdantlady]

a maid and the lady she serves

[verdantlady]

The Selkie - oil painting by Kai Carpenter

[verdantlady]

“Thank you for leaving because I would’ve never walked away”

[verdantlady]

L'étreinte (The Hug) (1800s - 1900s)

Jean-Frédéric Schall (1752 - 1825)

[verdantlady]

The Change

Took a little break from writing and now I'm trying to get back into it!

Continued writing for the green witch and the banshee. Giving The Change its own original post with a little added on :)

~~~~~~~~

The change came for Charlotte on the last week of summer just like Ma had promised.  The family had gathered in the house for dinner like most Sundays.  It was loud and boisterous and Charlotte had this great big feeling building inside of her.  It felt like the ocean coming in, like something big and powerful inching closer.  She wished Lena were here.  On Sunday it was nearly impossible to see Lena because of church and family.  A secret part of Charlotte always whispered but we’re your family whenever Lena said she couldn’t come.  

But for once the absence of Lena didn’t nag at her too bad.  The feeling of Home was washing over her pleasantly as she ate dinner and all was right.

Without warning, Ma set her hands palm down on the table.  She didn’t slap that table, but it did make a sound, enough that the entire table fell silent and all eyes turned to Ma.

“It’s time.” Said Ma to the table at large, but her eyes were on Charlotte, boring into her.

Freya nudged her in the side with a smirk, “Let’s go Couz, about time.”

And with that the serious silence was broken as every family member said their congratulations and began the process of tidying up.

After only a cursory clean, the aunties and cousins all went with Ma outside, leaving Michael, his father, and the two youngest cousins in the house.  The twelve women left stripped in the yard, the night air filled with light chatter and laughs.  It was a beautiful summer’s night.  The air was crisp, but there was no chill sneaking up Charlotte’s arms as she stood naked under the moon.

“Thank God Charlotte’s change was in the summer.  Remember Marin’s? The dead of winter! I thought my nipples would fall off.”  Said Freya to Auntie Vee, who just shook her head, twisting her curly mass of hair up into a bun.

Ma took Charlotte’s hand and looked up at the moon.  Her silver hair was shining in the light.  She looked otherworldly.  Like an ancient goddess coming to bless us mortals.  

“Where do you want to go Lottie?”

Charlotte thought for a moment.  She closed her eyes and let the vision come to her.  Her hand warmed in Ma’s grip, acting as a focus point as the image in her mind's eye solidified.  

“The woods.” Said Charlotte.

“Lead the way,” Ma answered.

Charlotte led the way into the woods.  Under the canopy it was dark, nearly too dark to see.  She took comfort in the small bits of moonlight sneaking between branches and relied on a tugging feeling in her chest, guiding her to the right spot.

And then she was there.  The other women trailed behind her, all slowly coming to a stop as they surrounded Charlotte.  One by one, the women each put a hand on Charlotte’s shoulders and began to hum.  Their voices reverberated around the small clearing and Charlotte watched as the trees swayed to the tune.  Charlotte lost herself in it, taking meditative breaths in and out. In and out.  Her mind stilled, lying in wait.

That’s when it came.  The change.  It washed over Charlotte like static.  It filled her up until she was full to bursting, about to vibrate out of her skin. She cried out as the buzzing turned to burning, her body on fire as she was overwhelmed.  Tears filled her eyes in agony and the humming grew louder.  

Vines burst from the ground, wrapping around her body, twisting up her limbs.  

Flowers bloomed around her feet, their sweet faces pointed towards her.  

The trees reached their limbs towards her. Magnetized, they stretched as if desperate to comfort her in her pain.

The pulsing waves of fire ceased in her body and she fell to the ground gasping, watching as more plants reached up towards her, petting her skin in soft caresses.  The hands of the women didn’t leave her, but instead the women leaned in embracing her as she cried.

“Look at that,” Ma whispered, “A daughter of the green.”

[verdantlady]

✨✨✨

[verdantlady]

Postcard design for @belovedzine from our first release ❤️

[verdantlady]

Bouquet with Berries

digital painting, 2024, emily buchler

I spent a lot of time on this one, lots of of petals and leaves! Really looking forward to more botanical pieces in the future!

[verdantlady]

'The Leaping Match' from Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale illustrated by William Heath Robinson, 1913

[verdantlady]

a snippet from a project on butch femme identities i made last year!! will post the entire zine soon

[verdantlady]

its lesbian visibility week 🫡🌈❤️🧡🤍🩷💗

[verdantlady]

Art by Paul Stavroulakis

[verdantlady]

weewoo weewoo more of the same dyke cowboys from the archives

[verdantlady]