Celt Pins and Buttons

Celtic warrior dressed in a wolfskin

Celtic Warrior

Irish celt

This is an original interpretation of Odin entering Valhalla riding on Sleipnir from the Tjängvide image stone. Sleipnir is Odin’s faithful steed. Reknown for having EIGHT legs!

Bears have been a prominent feature in mythology and legend. Perhaps most notably by the Norse berserker warriors that looked to channel the bear’s strength and ferocity by wearing bear skins into battle. The bear has been an admired creature throughout many cultures throughout history.

This design depicts this monstrous canine from Northern European legend in a "Neo-Nordic" style. There are lots of traditional style knots and patterns woven together and given a contemporary edge. The colors are distressed to give the image the look of a gold or bronze artifact that was just dug up out of a Viking chieftains burial mound! The runes towards the bottom of the image says, "FENRIR."

Celtic woman warrior

Cú Chulainn is one of the most famous of all Celtic Irish mythological heroes. He rose to fame from his exceptional skills at the Irish sport of Hurling. He then solidified his legend by killing the monstrous hound of Culann. Cú Chulainn is most famous for his great berserker rage in battle; turning himself into a giant rage monster that would slaughter men by the hundreds!

Huginn and Muninn (“Thought” and “Memory” respectively) are pet ravens of the Norse god, Odin. Odin’s ravens fly all over Midgard (Earth) collecting all of the information they can in order to report it back to Odin. In my interpretation, Huginn and Munnin are surrounding a magical stave named Ægishjálmr (Helm of Awe or Helm of Terror). It’s one of the most mysterious and powerful symbols in Norse mythology.

While the shamrock gets most of the glory in modern times, it's actually the Celtic harp that has been the major emblem of Ireland throughout history! The history of this emblem of the Emerald Isle stretches back into ancient times. It was the most sought after instrument throughout all of the Celtic lands, not just Ireland. Scotland, Wales, Brittany, anywhere there were vestiges of Celtic culture you would find the Celtic harp. In fact, the harp was so prominent in Celtic culture, that the Celtic harp came to symbolize them as a people. You can find images of the Celtic harp on the flags of the Irish regiments of the American Civil war, the Guinness emblem, and many other logos where "Irishness" is meant to be demonstrated. S...

“Highlander Charge” depicts an army of Celtic warriors charging into battle. The artwork is not meant to accurately depict any particular Celtic group or tribe. Rather, it’s a romanticized image taking bits and pieces from different elements of Celtic culture throughout history to make one composite representation of the Celtic warrior.

Celtic warriors have been renowned for their prowess on the battlefield since ancient times. They were head hunters, displaying the heads of their slain victims in their homes as trophies, and they charged into battle adorned in blue war paint. This artwork pays homage to the Celtic warrior legacy; specifically, the Irish who have long been known to some of the greatest of the Celtic warriors.

Celtic warriors have been renowned for their prowess on the battlefield since ancient times. They were head hunters, displaying the heads of their slain victims in their homes as trophies, and they charged into battle adorned in blue war paint. This artwork pays homage to the Celtic warrior legacy; specifically, the Scottish who have long been known to some of the greatest of the Celtic warriors.

A viking knotwork design featuring the night fury dragon Toothless from the cartoon kids movie. If you love fantasy, medieval & norse decoration this artwork is for you.

Define your self as a Celt!

The banshee (bean sí in Irish) is a ghoulish figure from ancient Celtic fairy lore. She is said to appear as an omen of death, wailing and crying outside of the home for a loved one in the house who is soon to die. She is a pretty terrifying figure. Legend has it that the banshee only wails for five different Irish families. I am a descendant of one of those five families, so I felt compelled to portray this wailing wench in all her spooky glory!

The Irish immigrants made quite the impression when they landed on American shores. Their penchant for fighting and rowdiness has been immortalized with ideas of the "fighting Irish," the "Irish temper," and another famous phrase which has become mainstream. "Don't Get My Irish Up" means "don't provoke me, or my Irish temper will come out, and you'll know why we are known as the 'fighting Irish'!"

Out with the old and in with the new! We were running a “Hammer of Thor” tee for a while, but I felt the need to totally revamp the design. I’m really happy with the end result. For those of you who don’t already know, Mjölnir is the name of the weapon used by the Norse god of thunder, Thor. The symbol at the center of this design is based on Mjölnir amulets worn around the necks of Vikings during the Middle Ages. It is meant to symbolize strength and protection. Take some time to look at the details in and around the hammer. Anyone interested in Viking history, or in Celtic art would appreciate it.

This is my take on the legendary Robin Hood! The Prince of Thieves done up in a Neo-Celtic style! I like the image of Robin as a Native Briton (either Saxon or Celtic) fighting the invading Normans. I used the leaves on him not just to represent camouflage in the forest, but also to draw connections to the Greenman whose archetype has often been associated with Robin.

The Morrigan is a war goddess from Irish mythology often associated with ravens or the battle crow. She is portrayed as an ominous figure. My interpretation gives her a fearsome appearance with a raven skull headdress, and long bird-like talons for fingers. Her sword is covered with vines and claws to show the connection with nature.

rearing chariot

Hibernia Rising design

Bears have been a prominent feature in mythology and legend. Perhaps most notably by the Norse berserker warriors that looked to channel the bear’s strength and ferocity by wearing bear skins into battle. The bear has been an admired creature throughout many cultures throughout history. Bjorn is a name of Germanic origin meaning "bear."

The design depicts this monstrous canine of Northern European lore in a classic Nordic style with knots and patterns everywhere, but with a contemporary twist. The colors are distressed to give an aged appearance.

Triple Celtic shield design with intricate knotwork

Celtic symbols

This is my take on the legendary Robin Hood! The Prince of Thieves done up in a Neo-Celtic style! I like the image of Robin as a Native Briton (either Saxon or Celtic) fighting the invading Normans. I used the leaves on him not just to represent camouflage in the forest, but also to draw connections to the Greenman whose archetype has often been associated with Robin.

A picture of a Celtic princess who is also a druid

Thor, son of Odin, god of Thunder, protector of Midgard. Thor was a popular Norse god among the common farmers of Scandinavia and other Germanic speaking cultures as he was a protector of the people. Thor’s magical war hammer, Mjölnir, is the centerpiece of my artwork here. Mjölnir pendants were worn by many including the Vikings in the Middle Ages as a symbol of Thor’s protection and strength. Thor continues to be a popular figure in modern culture.

This is an old Celtic symbol consisting of a Sun Wheel with astrological interpretations and a lotus that stands for courage and power.

the gaslight anthem

The Irish immigrants made quite the impression when they landed on American shores. Their penchant for fighting and rowdiness has been immortalized with ideas of the "fighting Irish," the "Irish temper," and another famous phrase which has become mainstream. "Don't Get My Irish Up" means "don't provoke me, or my Irish temper will come out, and you'll know why we are known as the 'fighting Irish'!"

Painting showing the moment Sir Bedivere returns the magical sword Excalibur back to the Lady of the Lake in the Arthurian Legend. Copyright Alan Lathwell.

Celtic

The Celtic Knot Dreams series is an abstract tribal design that will bewitch your senses. This is Celtic Art. The designs will reveal new shape combinations each time you look at it. Endlessly mesmerizing and enlightening. In this design I see people interlocked around a fire. What do you see?

Almost all cultures have special words or toasts to acknowledge the activity of bonding with others over drinks. The Celtic and Norse tribes were no exception. Fermented beverages played an important role in rituals and sacrifices. It brought people together to help create a sense of comradery and community. Mead and ale took on an almost supernatural power as they are often referenced in sagas and mythology. Mead was referred to as the “nectar of the gods.” Much of the Saxon epic poem Beowulf is set in a mead hall. So raise your drink, and toast to the long held traditions of the past. Skál! Sláinte! Cheers!