Leila Taylor is the author of Darkly: Black History and America’s Gothic Soul. She is a writer and designer whose work focuses on the gothic in Black culture, horror, and the aesthetics of melancholy. She’s been published in The Journal of Horror Studies, The New Urban Gothic: Global Gothic in the Age of the Anthropocene, Dispatches from the Institute of Incoherent Geography, and The Repeater Book of the Occult. She has given talks for the International Gothic Association in Mexico and the U.K. and at Morbid Anatomy in New York. Leila received a Masters in Fine Arts from Yale University and an MA in Liberal Studies at The New School for Social Research. She is also Creative Director for the Brooklyn Public Library.

On this episode, Leila discusses the intersections of gothic culture and Black America, the history of goth music and the ghosts of history, and why dark art can help us find joy.

Pam also talks about the Full Wolf Moon, and answers a listener question about leaning into Lilith.

Our sponsors for this episode are Amanda Bienko, Witch Baby Soap, BetterHelp and Zouz Incense.

#64 - Leila Taylor, Mistress of the Dark

The Witch Wave is a podcast for bewitching conversation about magic, creativity, and culture. On each episode, host Pam Grossman speaks with a leading visionary about art and Craft.

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Ron Regé, Jr. is a Los Angeles-based cartoonist who began drawing and self-publishing comics in the early 1990s in Cambridge, MA. Though he came out of zine culture and the underground comics scene, his work took a distinctly mystical turn thanks to a spiritual awakening he had the early 2000s. From that point on, his comics turned cosmic, exploring ideas of the occult, esotericism, and magic all in his signature psychedelic style. 

Though whimsical and whirling at first glance, Ron’s work belies decades of rigorous research and devoted inquiry into the workings of the unseen world. His books include The Cartoon Utopia, Halcyon, What Parsifal Saw, The Weaver Festival Phenomenon, Skibber Bee Bye and many more. His newest book, Shell Collection, out this week from Fantagraphics, gathers many of his monthly mini-comics which he’s been sending out to subscribers and Patreon backers over the last 8 years.

Ron’s comics and drawings have also appeared in hundreds of zines and comics anthologies. His illustration clients have included Nike, Sony, Tylenol, McSweeney’s, and The New York Times. And if that wasn’t enough, Ron is also the drummer for the celestial folk rock band, Lavender Diamond. On this episode, Ron discusses his cosmological cartoons, his practice of creative channeling, and the many inspirations and influences behind his wondrous work.

Pam also talks about hermeticism and The Hermit, and answers a listener question about a big life decision.

Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Weiser Books, BetterHelp, Snowy Owl Tea, Sphere + Sundry, and Mithras Candle

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#128 - Ron Regé, Jr., Cosmological Cartoonist

Jodi Wille is a director and producer of the critically acclaimed documentary The Source Family and her brand new feature documentary Welcome Space Brothers which is about The Unarius Academy of Science. Her work explores people whose extraordinary true stories and creations leave us with new ways of seeing, and she has a special interest in so-called outside artists, alternative spiritual seekers, and radical intentional communities.
Jodi has a background in commercial, editorial, and rock band photography, as well as music video direction, working with artists like REM, Sparks, and Vincent Gallo. She also cofounded the book publishing companies Dilettante Press (1998), Process Media (2004), and Otherworld (2022), to explore otherworldly and countercultural realms, and she has editing several award-winning books, most recently co-authoring the illustrated book Family: The Source Family Scrapbook (2022, Otherworld with Sacred Bones). 
Jodi has curated art exhibitions for The American Visionary Art Museum, Deitch Projects and others, and she’s curated numerous film festivals and cultural programs at institutions across the globe.
On this episode, Jodi discusses the radical visionaries behind the Unarius Academy of Science, the development of new religions, and how filmmaking has helped her explore mind-expanding ideas and experiences.
Pam also talks about the difference between cults and positive alternative spiritual groups, and answers a listener question about a group ritual happening during the solar eclipse.
Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Mithras Candle, BetterHelp, Snowy Owl Tea, and Sphere + Sundry
We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.
And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#127 - Jodi Wille, Director of "Welcome Space Brothers" and "The Source Family"

Penny Slinger is a Los Angeles–based artist whose work investigates the feminine, the magical and the erotic. In the late 1960s, her encounters with the work of Max Ernst initiated an enduring involvement with both the Surrealist movement and the medium of collage. Her groundbreaking publications such as 50% The Visible Woman (1971) and An Exorcism: A Photo Romance (1977) explore the image of woman through a series of often provocative photomontage self-portraits, and a new expanded edition of An Exorcism will be published by Fulgur Press later this year. Her studies of various divine feminine practices including Tantra led her to co-create The Secret Dakini Oracle deck in the 1970s, and the deck is still in print now under the name The Tantric Dakini Oracle Deck, and she has continued to work with dakini imagery over decades. 

Penny’s work is in many international museum collections, including Tate Britain, and was included in the Tate’s recent exhibition “Women in Revolt!” Other notable exhibitions showcasing Penny’s work include “The Dark Monarch” at Tate Gallery St Ives, “Angels of Anarchy” at Manchester Art Museum, and countless solo shows around the world. She also recently collaborated with House of Dior, and, as you’ll hear, has many more projects in the works.

On this episode, Penny Slinger discusses her self-celebrating surrealist art practice, her lifelong devotion to the divine feminine, and how she’s celebrating aging in her work and in her life.

Pam also talks about older witch archetypes, and answers a listener question about embracing the magic of middle age.

Our sponsors for this episode are Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Sphere + Sundry, BetterHelp, and Woodland Magic

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#126 - Penny Slinger, Surrealist Sorceress

Robin Ha is an award-winning author and illustrator of several graphic novels including the best-selling comic recipe book Cook Korean!: A Comic Book With Recipes and the illustrated memoir Almost American Girl which is about her move from South Korea to America when she was 14. Robin’s new graphic novel, The Fox Maidens is her first foray into fiction, and is based on the Korean folklore of her ancestors. 

Robin’s comics and illustrations have appeared in various publications, such as the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, as well as in anthologies highlighting Asian American culture, including Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now, New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei, and Shattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology. She is also a highly gifted fine artist, and she has a Seven Ladies of Tarot coloring book that you can download from her site.

On this episode Robin discusses fox maiden mythology, Korean folk magic, and the intergenerational shapeshifting power of women. 

Pam also talks about fox magic, and answers a listener question about a Witch Wave book club.

Our sponsors for this episode are Unquiet Arcadian, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, The Love Witch, BetterHelp, Woodland Magic, and Sphere + Sundry

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#125 - Robin Ha, "The Fox Maidens" Graphic Novelist

Soull & Dynasty Ogun are identical twins who together are the forces behind their design and thought incubator, L’Enchanteur, which they founded in 2017. L'Enchanteur is a multifaceted design house, creating unique and ethereal fine jewelry, accessories, and garments which draw from esoterica and alchemical symbolism, the mystical practices of their Nigerian and Dominican ancestors, and their own inventive style and magical intentions. 

Both Soull and Dynasty are autodidactic artisans in their respective fields with Soull focusing within the metal work, jewelry realm, and Dynasty focusing within the realm of textiles, fibers, accessories, and garments. Together, they create adornment with seeks bring empowerment, inspiration, and healing to the world via their shared vision of spiritual transformation through craft. Their pieces have been worn by such powerhouses as Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Michelle Obama, and many, many others at events, in editorial spreads, and in music videos including Beyoncé’s film Black is King. 

The Ogun twins also been embraced by the fine art world with their work being shown in galleries and other art spaces beyond the fashion industry. They’ve gone on to win countless fans, critical acclaim, and awards, including The Fashion Trust US Jewelry Design Award of 2023.

On this episode, Dynasty and Soull discuss the alchemical power of adornment, the magic of twins, and the ancestral influences on their enchanting line.

Pam also talks about spellbinding jewelry, and answers a listener question about ambidextrous divination.

Our sponsors for this episode are The Ritual Tarot, Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab, Mithras Candle, BetterHelp, The Love Witch and Sphere + Sundry

We also have brand new print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here.

And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam’s monthly online rituals, and more! That’s patreon.com/witchwave

#64 - Leila Taylor, Mistress of the Dark

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