By Jessica Shime

I’m an artist who enjoys drawing inspiration from fantastical beings. In this piece, I focus my gaze on witches. From The Witch to American Horror Story, media portrayals of witches fascinate me. In a time when rights and autonomy continue to be challenged, I find myself drawn to femme figures who use their power to reclaim agency in worlds often trying to strip it away. 

My illustration, “Her Best Day,” reflects this sentiment. My piece depicts a femme figure in an eerie forest, surrounded by crooked trees, three ominous crows, a snake wrapped around her arm, and the petrified head of a man. I portray an outdoorsy witch type of figure who has turned away from societal norms and exists in this wicked wilderness, unbothered and at ease. This is her best day, and not even a man could ruin it.