ISSUE 2
Editors Note When the dusk of Halloween finally settles, we welcome the season of witch to roll in, haunting darkness, frozen breath and endless nights of magic. Ideally, truly and honestly this issue would have been finished by Halloween, it was a sweet but not realistic idea that I did try to fulfil but eventually fell through due to being a second year arts student and actually never having the day to finish. Despite this and the limited time frame, Bitchcraft is something vastly different from issue one. The first Factory Girl was a selfish task, at least 50% of the content was my own, I didn’t ask for help. I’m lucky enough to say that Bitchraft has contributors from across this world. In this year of hurt and violence connecting with these
beautiful people through the innocence and comfort of art has been the kindest honour. Bitchcraft itself is an ode to the wild children, the girls and boys who felt the call of the earth, the need to be wild and magic and living. Those who’s fairy tales and horror stories were more than just entertainment of youth. Witchcraft and magic is a part of my history and heritage, growing up in a small welsh town outside of the confines of the church the glittering dark mythical world was the spiritual lifeline for me as a child. The stories of my sisters before me, the women whose hearts were burned for their their hope and strength, witchcraft was a sign of rebellion putting aside the traditional values of womanhood, something that isn’t a far stretch from the feeling of womanhood today. Love Rosie
‘GOOD WITCHES’ BY OPHELIA RAYNOR
GOOD WITCHES DO NOT WEAR DRESSES OF PEONIES THEY DO NOT SAY “I AM A GOOD WITCH” THEY ARE NOT CARICATURES OF HAPPINESS GOOD WITCHES WEAR SUNSETS LIKE CLOAKS THEY RUN WITH BEAR FEET EXPOSED LIMBS AND SNAKE HAIR THROUGH FORESTS AND FOGGY MINDS
THEY JUMP OVER STONE WALLS LAUGHING AS THE STICKS CRACK BENEATH THEM THEY DRUM THEIR MIDNIGHT BLACK CLAWS AGAINST TABLES AS IF THEY WERE RAISED BY WOLVES AND DIVINE YOUR FUTURE IN SIDEWALK CRACKS MODERN-DAY CASSANDRAS, BETTER LISTEN LISTEN THEY DO NOT SAY “I AM A GOOD WITCH THEY SMIRK, BEAR FANGS FORKED TOUNGUES SPILLING MAGIC LIKE MOONLIGHT AND MAKE YOU FIGURE IT OUT
SCULPTURE PROJECT THOM LOCKE HANDS UP DONT SHOOT RACIAL TARGETING OF PEOPLE IN THE USA
ARTWORK BY THOMAS
CREEPING FROM THE CRYPT SONGS FOR NIGHT ON THE HOWL
LOOSE YOUR SOUL – DEAD MAN’S BONES HORROR STORY - HALEY BLAIS CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST – DANIEL JOHNSON LATER ON – KATE NASH MAGIC MAN – HEART SHUT EYE – STEALING SHEEP
SACRILEGE – YEAH YEAH YEAHS THE ZOMBIES - TIME OF THE SEASON LIMIT TO YOUR LOVE – JAMES BLAKE LADY GRINNING SOUL – DAVID BOWIE DEATH IS A GIRL – MINI MANSIONS CONCRETE – CRYSTAL CASTLES
“GIRLS MAGIC” POEM BY OPHELIA RAYNOR YOUR HEART IS A MUSCLE THE SIZE OF A FIST, CURLED TIGHT, MANICURED NAILS -PANSY PINK- DIGGING OUT BLOOD AND DEAD SKIN YOU CURB YOURSELF, BUT GIRL - LET THEM KNOW, LET YOUR HEXES SPILL OUT, LIGHT A FIRE UNDER YOUR CAULDRON AND STIR YOUR ANGER INTO COURAGE
WHY IS IT THAT WHEN A WOMAN IS POWERFUL THEY CALL HER A WITCH? - LISA SIMPSON
REVIVING THE WITCH BY KAYLA BASHE SHE BIT MY HEART LIKE A VENUS FLYTRAP. HER TEETH WERE SILVER AS THE MOON, HER BRACELETS BLACK AND SHINING AS A MAGPIE’S EYES AND HER MAGIC SHIVERED OVER BARE SKIN LIKE NOVEMBER FROST. WITH EVERY DEATH SHE TRUSTED ME TO UNBURY HER PURE DISOBEDIENT BONES TO BREATHE AWAY THE ASHES TO MOLD CLAY AROUND HER SKULL WITH MY STORED BLOOD AND HERS, NIGHT-MINGLING LIKE A FROZEN SEA AND KISS BREATH BACK INTO HER SPIDERWEBBED LUNGS UNTIL SHE GASPED HERSELF TO LIFE
ARTWORK BY KINGSLEY
ARTWORK BY KINGSLEY
GREENMAN 2016 PHOTOS BY ROSIE
GREEN MAN IS AN INDEPENDENT MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL HELD ANNUALLY IN THE BRECON BEACONS, WALES. NOW IN ITS 14TH YEAR, IT HAS EVOLVED INTO A 20,000 CAPACITY 4 DAY EVENT, SHOWCASING PREDOMINANTLY LIVE MUSIC LITERATURE, FILM, COMEDY, THEATRE AND POETRY, CEILIDHS, ALL-NIGHT BONFIRES AND SECRET GIGS ALL ADD TO THE FESTIVAL’S UNIQUE IDENTITY.
A SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE IS AN ENCOUNTER WITH SOMETHING OR SOMEONE OTHER THAN YOURSELF THAT IS NOT BASED UPON MATERIAL PHENOMENA. THE EXPERIENCE LEAVES A PERSON WITH A NEW AND PROFOUND SENSE OF AWARENESS OR UNDERSTANDING REGARDING GOD, A TRUTH, OR OTHER RELIGIOUS EXPRESSIONS.
TO ME YOU WERE EVERYTHING
COLLAGES BY HEIDI BIRD
GOOD NIGHT LOVER
COLLAGES BY HEIDI BIRD
WHAT REMAINS
COLLAGES BY HEIDI BIRD
OUIJA GIRLS
COLLAGES BY HEIDI BIRD
WHO’S LISTENING
ARTWORK BY THOMAS
INFLUENTIAL WITCHES FOR YOUNG GIRLS BY ROSIE KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE IMAGINE LEAVING YOUR FAMILY HOME WITH JUST A BROOMSTICK AND A TALKING CAT FOR COMPANY FOR A FOREIGN LAND AT THE AGE OF 13? THAT’S THE LIFE FOR KIKI WHO’S AMBITION TO SURVIVE ALONE IN HER NEW WORLD IS PRETTY SIMILAR FOR MOST KIDS LEAVING HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME, SHE GETS LONELY, HOMESICK WORRIES ABOUT MONEY AND LOOSING HERSELF.
TEEN WITCH LOUISE MILLER IS JUST A NORMAL GAL TRYING TO NAVIGATE BEING UNPOPULAR AND UN COOL IN HIGH SCHOOL THEN BAMBAMBAM SHE LEARNS SHE’S THE REINCARNATION OF A WITCH. THIS FILM IS PRETTY MUCH 80’S WISH FULFILMENT SO SOME OF THE LESSONS OF THIS FILM AREN’T AMAZING, LIKE FORCING THE SCHOOL HOTTIE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU AND WISHING FOR UNLIMITED POPULARITY WHILE IN THE PROCESS ALIENATING HER BEST FRIEND IN THE PROCESS, BUT AT HER HEART LOUISE REGRETS HER MISGIVINGS AND HANDS BACK HER MAGIC. ALSO SHE HAS A KICKING WARDROBE AND THERE’S SOME AMAZINGLY TACKY DANCE NUMBERS.
INFLUENTIAL WITCHES FOR YOUNG GIRLS SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH SABRINA IS EQUAL PARTS GOOD GIRL AND REBEL, SHE’LL HAPPILY IGNORE THE ADVICE OF HER WITCH AUNTS AND HER SASSY CAT SALEM FOR A GOOD TIME AND SOMETIMES TO HELP OUT HER FRIENDS, WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT. SHE ALSO ONCE TRAVELLED BACK IN TIME TO GO SHOPPING SO WHO’S THE REAL GENIUS HERE?
THE WORST WITCH A GOOD HEART IS A GOOD HEART AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS KINDA CRUEL TO NAME MILDRED HUBBLE THE WORST WITCH WHEN SHE WAS PROBABLY THE NICEST CHARACTER IN THE WHOLE SERIES. AT A SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WITCHES MILDRED AND HER GANG FACE KINDA A LOT FOR A GROUP OF ELEVEN YEAR OLDS, INCLUDING EVIL WITCHES AND PRETTY INTENSE CURSES, LIKE HEALTH AND SAFETY WOULD HAVE A FIELD DAY THERE. DESPITE THIS MILDRED IS PRETTY MUCH JUST THEIR TO HAVE FUN WITH HER FRIENDS AND TRY AND HELP PEOPLE AND IS A CHARACTER THAT JUST GOT HIT WITH A CASE OF BAD LUCK WHICH CAN BE NEEDED SOMETIMES.
THESE ARE NOT OUR IDOLS ARTWORK BY STEPHANE SALVI
GIVE GIVE ME ME THE THE WILD WILD GIVE GIVE ME ME THE THE DARK DARK AND AND THE THE SCRATCHING SCRATCHING SOUL SOUL ONCE ONCE THAT THAT DREW DREW IN IN THE THE WALLS WALLS OF OF MY MY LUNGS LUNGS MAKING MAKING RICH RICH SEASONS SEASONS OF OF TAR TAR THAT THAT FALLS FALLS CRAWLING CRAWLING THROUGH THROUGH THE THE GAUZY GAUZY SKIN SKIN STRETCHED STRETCHED TAUT TAUT OVER OVER BREAKING BREAKING BONES BONES ROOTS ROOTS OF OF MY MY HIDDEN HIDDEN BODY BODY GIVE GIVE ME ME THE THE WILD WILD GIVE GIVE ME ME THE THE FOREST FOREST II KNOW KNOW AS AS HOME HOME
POEM AND PHOTOGARPHY BY ROSIE