While Libra is my Ascendant sign because it is a late degree Scorpio takes up the majority of my 1st house. Scorpio is a water sign and carries an emotional intensity unlike the other signs. I started with a maroon background one of the colors associated with Scorpio.
Symbolism
The mask takes on a Japanese art tradition called Kintsugi or “Golden Joinery” where broken pottery is repaired by mending the cracks with lacquer mixed with gold, silver, or platinum. Highlighting the imperfections and turning it into beauty instead of something broken. It also connects to the 1st house association of the mask that we show to others. Often I feel like I’m hiding the true pain underneath this mask that appears to be all put together, but underneath there are dark demons haunting to break in.
The lips are bright pink and biting down reflecting the deep devouring nature of Scorpio. As the native ruler of the 8th house Scorpio is the house of death/rebirth, sex, and shared resources. The need to destroy and bit down in life can be all consuming.
The shadow figures reflect how we are often haunted by our own demons, trying to break into our house and stability. They cause us to hide the parts of ourselves that we are scared to show the world. When these are often the best parts of ourselves and the most unique.
The house felt fitting to include as one of the main elements for this painting as it is the start of the whole chart. The rest of the chart is shaped by this house. It is the phrase “I am”.
Music Db/bb
Songs:
Control: Halsey, You Should See Me in a Crown: Billie Eilish, Demons: Imagine Dragons, Elastic Heart: Sid
There’s a darkest that is underlying to all of these songs which reflects the Scorpio intensity quite well. They all discuss a sense of our demons and how the brain can easily turn on us. Through synesthesia the purple lines came through especially with “You Should See Me in a Crown” and the vibrational effects of the music. The deep purple has a certain association of more darker elements that felt fitting.
Reflection
I found that one of the hardest things about working on this painting is that I feel like I don’t really fit into someone that has Libra as their first house or as a Scorpio Ascendant. There’s a hidden layer to the start of my chart where I don’t really fit into either because my houses if we use Whole sign system don’t feel as aligned as they do with Placidus.
There’s a certain hidden depth that comes with Scorpio that I really wanted to convey. There’s deep darkest to it, a dark night of the soul. I have a lot of heavy 8th house placements which adds to the intensity of Scorpio as that is the native house of this sign.
How are you haunted by your inner demons?
What parts of yourself do you conceal to the world out of fear?