Why Crow Art and Why Raven Art?

So why do I paint crow and raven art? Well, yesterday was Samhain or Halloween and it got me thinking about my late mum and why crows and ravens are so important to me.

Samhain is the time when the veils between our world and the spirit world are at their thinnest. My lovely mum died 3 years ago on Wednesday this week (3/11), so this time of year is always very poignant for me.

Artist sarah Bowden and her mum June 2020
Me and mum about 4 months before she died

I feel so connected to my mum – she was a vibrant crafter who loved to bring colour to others – especially her loved ones. She would be very proud of what I am doing right now with my art.

Two crocheted cats with wavy tails. One bright red and one bright blue with black whiskers and green eyes.
Mum’s crochet cats!

My Mum and Crows as my Guide

I dream about my mum a lot, but it is believed she may appear in my dreams more at this time of year. And last night, she did just that! I was setting up a stall at an art market and everything was going completely wrong – I was late, I couldn’t find my artwork, things were being knocked over and I seemed to have all the contents of my garage with me!! Anyway, my mum appeared out of the blue and began helping me. What a brilliant dream to have! A great reminder that she is always there ready to guide and support. Crows are also my guide and this is why crow art is a key part of what I create.

Crow Art Series

During a Shamanic soul retrieval a few years a go, I saw a crow. It was exactly half jet black on one side and half pure white on the other. I have always felt connected to the corvid family, but the connection felt deeper at this time and so my fascination with these beady-eyed birds grew stronger.

Earlier this year, I was itching to create some crow art. And so I painted lots of different crows using different art styles. I had fun naming them as if they were alive and had their own unique energy. And so Crazy Crow, Contemplating Crow, Contented Crow, Calm Crow, Curator Crow, and Foxy Crow (my favourite) were born. Crazy Crow flew the nest quite quickly and is now available as an art print. The rest are in my shop – so take a look!

For me, Crows represent transformation and trusting my inner wisdom. Both crows and ravens remind me that with death comes renewal and I have certainly found this since shedding the old me and blooming into a person I am proud to be.

  • Crow Art - Calm Crow sits on tree branches created from paper printed with mindfulness reminders. Music manuscript hearts float against a vibrant red and orange background painted with acrylics and oils to represent explosive chaos. Calm Crow has has been drawn with ball point pen on top of collage paper printed with text. Her face is an expression of calm thought and she has third eyes drawn on her body.
    Calm Crow
  • Foxy Crow
  • Curator Crow
  • Contented Crow
  • Crazy Crow
  • Contemplating Crow

Raven Art

Alongside my Crow art and to celebrate Samhain this year, I have also painted some Halloween Ravens. They were initially drawn with my non-dominant hand. This unlocks the creative, intuitive and emotional right side of my brain. This looser, experimental style is what I love to do most! These two are also in my shop. I think the pair sitting side by side having a chat beautifully framed would make such a wonderful addition of expressive colour and dramatic beauty to the home.

What do crows and ravens symbolise for you?