The Goddess Mania
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

The Goddess Mania

In Greek mythology, the Maniae were female spirits personifying madness, frenzy, and insanity. These frightening emotional states were beyond human control, and therefore believed to be a result of spiritual possession or dark ritual practices.

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Abere, the CanniBal Demoness
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Abere, the CanniBal Demoness

Abere is a cannibal demoness from Melanesian folklore, whose name means “Maiden.” She appears to be a beautiful young woman, but this is just an illusion hiding the terrifying reality.

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Killer Sex Bots
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Killer Sex Bots

Last week, I saw Companion, a surprisingly great little movie starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid (who I loved in The Boys). I won’t be spoiling anything here that they don’t spoil in the trailer, but if you haven’t seen it and you think you might want to, you should probably come back and read this after.

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Yuki-onna, Japanese Snow Vampire
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Yuki-onna, Japanese Snow Vampire

Yuki-onna, whose name means "Snow Woman” in Japanese, is a mythical apparition sometimes described as a snow vampire, who feeds on the blood of living children.

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2025 Badass Goddesses calendar
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

2025 Badass Goddesses calendar

My 2025 Badass Goddesses calendar has landed… You can visit my Shop to order yours today. It’s the perfect gift for someone in your life who likes to look up from their phone once in a while and see something pretty hanging on the wall, and the perfect way to support real art in an increasingly AI-generated world!

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Pinktober 2024: Week 1
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Pinktober 2024: Week 1

One week into Inktober/Pinktober 2024 and we’re off to a great start! I was a little worried at first, since I haven’t been drawing much of anything these last couple of years, but the first four days of the month have been awesome. I’ve been looking forward to each new drawing as a creative challenge, finding inspiration in the random sketchbooks I have laying around and in photos of friends and family (and of course, myself).

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Venus, badass goddess of love
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Venus, badass goddess of love

Venus is the Roman goddess of love, beauty, fertility, and prosperity, equivalent to the Greek goddess Aphrodite. She holds a central place in Roman mythology, embodying the ideals of love, desire, and the aesthetic aspects of life. Venus is often depicted as a stunning and seductive figure, emphasizing her association with physical beauty and attraction.

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Pinktober 2024
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Pinktober 2024

This year I'm going to be joining a tradition started in 2009 by artist Jake Parker, which you can read all about at Inktober.com. Jake Parker started Inktober to challenge himself to grow his drawing and inking skills and to improve his discipline, since the heart of the challenge is 31 days, 31 drawings.

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Iara, Brazil's mythical enchantresses
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Iara, Brazil's mythical enchantresses

In Brazilian folklore, Iara, also known as Uiara or Yara, is a captivating and enchanting figure associated with water, particularly rivers and streams. She is often depicted as a beautiful, seductive mermaid or water nymph with long, flowing hair and enchanting eyes.

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Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt

Artemis is the Greek goddess of the hunt, twin sister of Apollo and daughter of Zeus and Leto. She rules the moon and childbirth, motherhood and virginity, wild animals and hunters. She is best known for her association with the wilderness.

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Blodeuwedd, Welsh goddess of Spring
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Blodeuwedd, Welsh goddess of Spring

Blodeuwedd is the Welsh goddess of Spring, created by the sorcerer Gwydion and his brother Math. Her name means "flower face," reflecting her origin and nature. She was crafted from the blossoms of wild flowers oak, broom, and meadowsweet and brought to life to serve as the wife of Lleu, Gwydion's nephew, circumventing his mother's curse that he would never marry a mortal woman.

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Kali, the total eclipse of Badass Goddesses
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Kali, the total eclipse of Badass Goddesses

Kali, in Hindu mythology, is the powerful and fearsome goddess associated with time, change, and the destructive forces that precede creation and regeneration. Revered as a manifestation of the Divine Mother, she is depicted with a necklace of severed heads. Kali's name itself is derived from the Sanskrit word "kāla," meaning time, reflecting her cosmic role in the cycles of existence.

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Marzanna, Goddess of Spring and Sorcery
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Marzanna, Goddess of Spring and Sorcery

Marzanna is a Baltic/Slavic nature goddess associated with sorcery, dreams, agriculture and the seasonal cycle of death and rebirth. Her worship is closely linked to the cycles of the agricultural year and the rites performed to ensure fertility and protection.

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Badass Goddesses: the book
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Badass Goddesses: the book

I recently embarked on a journey of self-publishing, much of which I owe to my friend and fellow podcaster Alison Price at Starzology, who encouraged me and recommended a platform (Kindle Direct self-publishing).

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Amaterasu, Shinto Sun goddess
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Amaterasu, Shinto Sun goddess

Amaterasu is the Shinto Sun goddess of Japan, whose name means "Shining in Heaven" or "Heaven's Illuminating Force." She is one of the most important and revered kami (deities) in the Shinto pantheon. She was born from a tear in the creator Izanagi's left eye, while her brother, Tsukiyomi, the Moon God, was born from his right. Her youngest sibling, Susanoo, was born from his nose, and was sent to rule the sea plain as the storm god.

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Maman Brigitte, Vodou death spirit
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Maman Brigitte, Vodou death spirit

Maman Brigitte is a Vodou death spirit, brought to Haiti and Louisiana by Irish indentured servants. She and her husband Baron Samedi guard cemeteries and protect graves marked with crosses. They are irreverent tricksters, mocking authority and carousing, dancing, swearing and drinking hot pepper-infused rum.

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Sedna, Inuit goddess of the sea
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Sedna, Inuit goddess of the sea

Today's post is about Sedna, the Inuit goddess of the sea. She's definitely a "badass" goddess, known for her vengeful and violent nature when protecting the sea creatures over which she has dominion and protection rights. But her origin story, as is often the case, is also a tragic one. She could be said to epitomize the #MeToo movement of the icy Northern seas.

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