Yesterday was the winter solstice, so I’ve gathered a few solstice dragons to share this week including this amazing sculpture called Winter Solstice by American professional artist Emily Coleman, posting as emilySculpts.

I’ve also found a Hanukkah dragon and some Kwanzaa gryphons to share because I’m all about diversity and representation (though I’m afraid I couldn’t find many examples to choose from) and then I’ve wrapped up with some secular snow dragons, because next week will be the big (also secular) Christmas extravaganza.  But let’s check out this week first, shall we?

This Winter Solstice sculpture looks like it’s made from actual birch bark, so much that I couldn’t believe when I read it’s made of clay!  Emily’s description speaks for itself, with more detailed images below:

The latest in my forest spirit series. This guy is pretty closely related to the autumn dragon, as you might be able to tell! He is loosely based off birch trees, with dead branches and peeling bark.

I wanted to create the feel of winter without overdoing the snow and avoiding things like holly, fir trees, ice, etc. I gave him a thicker build as I see the forest spirits as ever growing. Winter is the last stage so he is the bulkiest.  [Made from] Super Sculpey over aluminum wire and foil armature, wood base, acrylic paints.

So amazing!  You can purchase Emily’s work at her official site, and even find classes in sculpture, mold making, and casting taught by the artist herself at her School Page!  She also has loads more social media links at her deviantart page, so go follow her somewhere — I certainly will!

Up next is another called Winter Solstice, this time by Dana Smith, posting as CryoftheBeast.  It was a contest piece for another artist‘s dragonsona, and overall I like the colors and the concept, even though I’m not sure if she won or not.  You can check out Dana’s Facebook page and deviantart gallery for more.

Here’s another dragon with a great backstory, so check out Winter Has Come by Australian artist Higimura, and then check out her deviantart gallery for more.

It has been a while since Touji visited the strange land known as Nippon. Last seasons ago, it was hard for him to bring his wonderful snows, but this season felt different. He felt that he would finally be able to spread his wonderful snow crystals. He notices a human about to pass the gate and paid no heed as humans normally don’t notice him. He looks out seeing the beautifully reddened land in front of him, visualizing how he will work his art.

A young lady walks towards her favorite temple. Reading her wishes for the local god. A strong cold snap of wind hits her face shutting her eyes. Looking up her eyes widen and she sees a majestic creature that looked wise with a large bottle filled with a white almost crystallized liquid. Thoughts run quick in her head of a story her grandmother had told her and she mouths the name of the creature in that story… ‘Touji’.

Then finally for this group, here is Dragon of Winter Solstice by Canadian professional artist Michelle Landry, posting as Dragon-by-Design, a “digital painting intended for a greeting card.”  How sweet!  See more of her work in her deviantart gallery.

Here is one of the only specifically Hanukkah Dragons I was able to find, by American professional artist Nina Bolen, who posts as The-GoblinQueen.  Nina creates lots of amazing fantastic creatures, so check out her deviantart gallery and follow her on Instagram for more.

Unfortunately, ‘Kwanzaa Dragon’ didn’t really garner any hits, but I did find these amazing Kwanzaa Gryphons by American deviantartist Lethe Katherine Gray.  She writes that she enjoyed researching this concept, and that each gryphon is symbolic.  Below is just the start of her explanation, so be sure to check out her whole entry at the link, and then find more in her deviantart gallery.

Each of the gryphons is colored and gendered according to the candles held in the Kinara:

• In the center is a black candle representing the first principle: unity (Umoja – m).
• To the left of the black candle are three red candles representing the principles of self-determination (Kujichagulia – m), cooperative economics (Ujamaa – m) and creativity (Kuumba – f).
• To the right of the black candle are three green candles representing the principles of collective work and responsibility (Ujima – m), purpose (Nia – f) and faith (Imani – f).

Then we have the first Snow Dragon by Swedish deviantartist Karolina, posting as RedGella.  This whimsical art style carries through all her pieces, so please check out her beautiful gallery!  She captions this piece:

Just wanted to wish all of you Happy holidays!!! Hope all your desires and wishes will come true and you will have a great year ahead!! And if not, that is nothing to worry about, things will come around. Dragons will help to come through troubles.

Next is Snowsmaug, a dragon made of actual snow by deviantartist Cleozora, posting as FrederikeLisabet.  This student artist is quite amazing (and quite the Whovian as well!) so check out her deviantart gallery or Tumblr for more.  She captions this, “We had the first snow in Germany … and it’s fantastic snowman material. Really good to build with. So obviously we (me and my cousin) built a dragon.”

And then last, but certainly not least, is one of my favorites of this set called The snowman and the dragon by American deviantartist John Schwegel, posting as fizzgig.  He captions it, “silly snowman…doesn’t realize the danger he is in.”  You can purchase this and more of John’s art through his Redbubble site and see more of his awesome designs in his deviantart gallery or at his official website.

I hope everyone around the world is having a happy and peaceful December, and if I’ve missed any holidays, or especially any dragons related to those holidays, please let me know in the comments!

Unfortunately, I won’t be posting a new Neeka chapter before the New Year like I’d hoped, but my husband actually went ahead and enrolled me in that Loft Literary Center class called Finish Your Novel as my Christmas present, so… I guess I’ll have more news on that front soon!  It might mean some shorter posts in January and February, but it will be worth it to get back on track with the “real” reason I started this blog two years ago…

All right, thank you as always for reading, take care and stay creative!

Image credits:
+ Winter Solstice by Emily Coleman, posting as emilySculpts
+ Winter Solstice, Details by Emily Coleman
+ Winter Solstice by Dana Smith, posting as CryoftheBeast
+ Winter Has Come by Higimura
+ Dragon of Winter Solstice by Michelle Landry, posting as Dragon-by-Design
+ Hanukkah Dragon ACEO by Nina Bolen, posting as The-GoblinQueen
+ Kwanzaa Gryphons by deviantartist Lethe Katherine Gray
+ Snow Dragon by RedGella
+ Snowsmaug by FrederikeLisabet
+ The snowman and the dragon by John Schwegel, posting as fizzgig