Sanctum Aetherealis's Circle of Hell

Memento Tea
Dec 18, 2018
3 min read

Constance D Theodore, aka Sanctum Aetherealis

Welcome to the new "Artist's Circle Of Hell" editorial: a journey through the eyes and thoughts of magnificent Dark Artists. Today we talking with Constance D Theodore, aka Sanctum Aetherealis, one of our members of the Old Time Memento Tea Collective, who participated in the last auctions with such passionate artworks! Constance is an Australian illustrator and doll artist, currently living in Scotland. An author by education, her peculiar nature prompted her to obtain ideas through further fields such as Stereoscopy and Art. Her work consists of an amalgamation of dark and light sorcery for people of a witchy and odd disposition. She is greatly inspired by mythical creatures in fantasy, other worldly realms and Gothic-Victorian overtones in literature all the while listening to metal and classical music…. She poses an eerie psyche in her illustrations and dolls, of which celebrate pagan folklore and olde world witchcraft. Her dolls have been showcased in the Crafts Alive exhibition in Canberra-Australia and published in Art doll quarterly spring edition 2018.

Enjoy the interview!

First circle - Limbo

How old is your soul? Do you have an inner child?

I dare say how old my soul is as I feel I’ve been roaming this earth and other realms for centuries. Only to be reborn again and again… Yes, my inner child is the same child at every stage.

Second circle - Lust

Before you have reached your artistic path, have you ever instinctively tried different fields that did not appeal to you, just for the sake of it? Are you still in search for your art style?

I am always in search of my artistic path which I believe evolves as I do. I don’t think it strays too much from a similar path of eeriness but it may change in genre.

Third circle - Gluttony

How hungry are you for the art, for your passion? How much are you addicted and addicted to it, moving away from your perception of reality?

I keep the beast exactly where I want… At a distance when it makes me mad and close at hand when it’s good to me. This way I keep a sane balance of insanity.

Fourth circle - Greed

Sometimes, do you feel greedy with your job? Do you think that a strong attachment to money can compromise your art? No intention to offend, but only to explore what goes beyond being a "starving artist".

Starving is always the case and yes, I do get greedy. But not on the monetary terms , for the art itself…Sometimes I don’t want to sell anything and keep them all to myself.

Fifth circle - Anger

How you see the Art World today? There are some stuff that make you uncomfortable?

There will always be themes that make one uncomfortable… I know my art makes some people frightend , I’ve seen much worse mind you… I do believe however it’s all a personal journey, something which one sees and the other doesn’t may trigger fearor horror, some just sadness. It’s all relative.

Sixth circle - Heresy

Have you ever done a project or commission totally different from your kind of art? (for example, as fairy art, erotic art, fantasy art or comic art)

Yes, I have. I don’t normally do commissions but one piece was for a gift and so I strayed from my usual to please a person I loved and gifted something special.

Seventh circle - Violence

Are you afraid to represent cruel stuff of the reality in your art? If not, it goes beyond the simple visual impact?

For me violence is what is a lot more prevalent in the ‘’normal’’ world than what I portray in my art. Cruelty comes in many forms which one would not think of or even believe as cruelty.

Eighth circle - Fraud

Without naming, have you ever been deceived by a false customer or company? What was your initial feeling? Do you want to give some advice to those who are new in this field? Don't worry if you do not want to answer.

It happens all the time and unfortunately artists cannot be immune to such people. My advice is just keep on doing what you do best and let the rest of them deal in under-handing stupidity... After all there is Karma.

Ninth circle - Treachery

Would you ever exchange your life as artist with a safer and quieter life? What would you do if you could not make art?

Never. I would make art. There is no doubt about that… I’d cast a spell otherwise!