Tonight, I made this picture. I had in my head since last night, the idea of a woman standing in the midst of a river that is washing by her. I wasn’t really sure who it was or why it was happening initially. The costume was patterned after one of Ivan Bilibin’s drawings. Then it seemed like she should be holding a sword, and I started thinking about who would be holding a sword, standing in water. And I decided this was probably the Lady of the Lake, when she was much younger, and was coming into her own, before she had ascended fully to her office. The struggle to become what she is isn’t easy though. I really like the look of uncertainty that I captured on her face.

I had also read something earlier today about her, that the Lady of the Lake was one of several figures called “Sovereignty,” who basically grants the authority to rule the land and the people to the true king once he has been revealed. Hence her giving Excalibur to King Arthur. She’s holding a little plant, mistletoe (although that’s not quite what mistletoe looks like) which was important to the Druid religion. Among other things, like being a universal antidote (not to mention powerful poison), it has magical uses:

Mistletoe is used for protecting one from lightning, diseases, misfortunes, fires, by being carried or placed in the appropriate spots. If placed in a cradle it will protect the child from being stolen by fairies and replaced with changelings. A ring carved of its wood will ward off sickness when worn and the plant will cure fresh wounds quickly if carried. Carried or worn for good luck in hunting, mistle is also used by women to aid in conception. It is used in spells to capture that elusive state of immortality and to open locks. If laid in the bedroom beneath the pillow, hung on the bedpost, or by the door, it provides restful sleep and beautiful dreams. Burned it banishes evil, and if worn around the neck allows its wearer to attain invisibility.