Digital collage using vintage images from the Jack and Cat Curio blog. This is a slight variation on my entry in the Creativity Challenge #4 for Jack and Cat. I used some Photoshop brushes from
Obsidian Dawn.
You may have noticed the mystical looking symbols. Those are norse runes representing strength and joy, basically. I love to think of Santa is an archetype for the ancient shamans who lived from the arctic circle area of Scandinavia to Russia and Siberia. The word “shaman” comes from the native tribal groups of Siberia who are still running herds of reindeer today, despite Russia’s methods of oil retrieval that has destroyed much of the tundra food supply for the reindeer. To me Santa Claus is a powerful archetype on many levels, representing the primal power of good Father Nature in his winter aspect.
A couple of books have been written about this idea. See the links below for more:
