Summer Solstice
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Aine’s Love (Summer Solstice), 2019. Hand Embellished Giclée Print on bamboo paper 30cm x 30cm.
The Summer Solstice celebrates the culmination of the sun’s power as the sun reaches its highest position in the sky, after which it appears to stand still in the skies before beginning its descent once more. When the sun is at its fullest, and the days are at their longest, the dark part of the year fades to such an extent that it seems momentarily absent. At the very moment the Sun reaches its fullness, the seeds of winter emerge: brightness and darkness ever interlinked.
The Summer Solstice marks the mid-point of the growing season; halfway between planting and harvesting. The air between earth and sky, full of life-giving properties, receives special attention at this time of year. Traditionally, hill-top bonfires were lit in honour of Áine, the Celtic goddess of summer, wealth, love and fertility, who was born from the sea. Smoke and ashes from these sacred fires were thought to protect the crops until harvest time.