ARTEMAGNUM

Her name is Brenda Casares. She creates crafts based on her spiritual beliefs, using her creativity to make everything from custom-made voodoo dolls, jewelry made from natural objects, to witch bottles, vintage items, and dead things. Her "wicked and dark" shop is hosted on Etsy under the name Wickedblackmagick, from where she ships from her native United States to the whole world.


Hello Brenda, thank you for accepting this interview. We have seen your online store, and we are intrigued that all the products you create are related to "magic."
Brenda Casares: Hi, my name is Brenda Casares, and I create crafts based on my spiritual beliefs, using my creativity to make everything from custom-made voodoo dolls, jewelry made from natural objects, to witch bottles, vintage items, and dead things. My "evil and dark" shop is hosted on Etsy under the name Wickedblackmagick, from where I ship from my native United States to the whole world.

1. Why do you like crafting with this theme?
The pieces I make, whether they are powders, waters, spells, or bottles, are elements that have personally helped me. I sell these items because I feel that if they have helped me, then they can help others. Regarding taxidermy items, I believe that all living beings, like flowers, animals, and insects, should be appreciated even after their death. I turn them into objects with both an "artistic" and "magical" use so they can be appreciated and contemplated. I love making terrariums for the dead; it makes me feel how they might have enjoyed their environment if they were still alive. People can enjoy them with the terrariums, but those with sigils, veves, symbols, or magical writings can be used for more than one spiritual purpose and become a powerful tool.

2. Do you consider yourself a neopagan?
I can consider myself partially neopagan because I do spells, appreciate nature, work with elements, and believe in multiple gods and goddesses. However, I don't consider myself fully neopagan because I am more spiritual than religious. I don't follow a network, nor do I celebrate traditional holidays as neopagans do.

3. What characteristics do the people who buy or seek your products have?
Most people who buy my products practice the same or related arts. These arts include occultism, hoodoo, witchcraft, vodou, Santeria, necromancy, etc. But I also get buyers who seek "dark" items, such as taxidermy, or who are curious about witchcraft.

4. Besides your creations, what other jobs do you do?
I also do spiritual work that I don't incorporate as much. I feel that people who need more help or assistance generally contact me privately. The works include candle petitions, spells, and tarot readings. Since my shop, Wickedblackmagick, is only online, I am limited in the types of spiritual works I can offer. I hope to establish a physical store in the future to help people more personally.

5. You focus your creativity on crafting, but you also have other artistic passions. We understand that you practice belly dancing or tribal belly dancing, is that correct?
Yes, I practice tribal belly dance or tribal fusion, which combines different belly dance techniques while still being tribal.

6. We see there is a link between your craft and the dance you perform. In your personal life, do you consider yourself a "spiritual" person, meaning someone who uses magic in their daily life? And if so, what type of magic?
Yes, tribal belly dance and my crafts are connected and relate to my form of expression, both with my work and my ancestors. The crafts I make are sometimes thought through my ancestors or spiritual guides. Dance is my way of honoring, respecting, and thanking them with gratitude and love. Our relationship is reciprocal. So yes, I consider myself somewhat spiritual. As for the type of magic, it's hard to answer; I don't have a specific type of magic. I am an omnist, a person who claims no religion, practice, or belief but finds truth in all of them. I have worked and studied witchcraft, some necromancy, medium work, herbs, oils, stones, sigil work, hoodoo, astral projection, chakras, forms of divination (tarot, osteomancy-bone casting, tasseography-tea reading, ceromancy-candle reading, and reading with images). My interests have now moved to studying sexual magic. So, as an omnist who believes all religions, practices, and beliefs have truth, I also believe all art practices have truth. I practice or study wherever my next interest or branch leads me.

7. Are the products you make designed to function in magical rituals, or can they be considered decorative items, or both?
What makes my store different from other "witch" shops is that most of my items are handmade. Most of my items are for magical purposes. When I create something, I put all my energy into it, whether it's love, hate, protection, peace, etc., so that the item can have a "boost" in any purpose for the buyer. From what I have learned or studied, no matter what arts you practice, everything around us can be used as a magical creature to help us in our daily lives, from a stone, a bone from a dead animal, water collected in a can, or a plant. After all, aren't we all connected to each other? But those who don't practice these arts, or do but find one of my items doesn't have magical touches for them, may consider that item more of a decorative piece. It all depends on how the buyer views my item or items. To be open about my items, I say they can serve as both a magical and decorative piece.

8. For the interested audience, where can they see your products, and what are your social media accounts where they can find you?
They can follow me on Instagram, where I post my latest items under the name "wickedblackmagick" or use the hashtag #wickedblackmagick to see only my items for sale. They can also go to my Etsy shop at "wickedblackmagick" to see, purchase, ask questions, or request a custom-made item.