For part II of my Halloweek series, Danica and I blatantly ripped off my favorite living artist, Courtney Brooke of lightwitch. I almost don’t want to link her here because my work is so shoddy in comparison, but there you go. I was tempted to go full plagiarist and get naked in the river, but Vermont is cold, dammit.
Photos of me by Danica. Photos of Danica, as well as all editing, by me.
I saw Maleficent again last night, with Josh and Holly this time. I liked it better the second time around. The simplicity I previously derided now seems to work in its favor. When it comes right down, it’s a fairy tale. Building a story so obviously on the back of archetype would be questionable in another film, but I find it acceptably fae. The movie works a lot better when you read it as an overdeveloped fairy tale rather than an underdeveloped original story.
And I still don’t know why I love Maleficent the character so much. I get a tingly, heady thrill watching her in action; I can’t decide if I want to be her or possess her. But I’ve always adored the lean, steely fae queen archetype. Wished my natural features screamed less “cute and sunny” and more “fierce and fearsome”. I am not fit to play a Maleficent or an Elphaba or a Morgana. I lean far more toward Flora, Fauna, or Merryweather. But hey – that’s how creation delivered me. And I’ve always enjoyed the contrast between insides and outsides.
I took these photos in the first morning light – sans lipstick, sans anything. I’ve always felt my lips look weirdly naked without it. But sometimes a lack of artifice is just what we need.
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