Ӕlfgyva: The Mysterious Woman in the Bayeux Tapestry 30cm x 21cm Oil on canvas I’ve taken details from Ӕlfgyva section in the Bayeux Tapestry to create this painting. See last slide. ‘As a prime example of how women have been given little or no part in the story of the Norman Conquest, out of 626 human figures, there are only three women who appear in the main narrative of the Bayeux Tapestry. The most intriguing woman in the Bayeux Tapestry, appears in one scene when Harold is in Normandy in 1064. She is identified as ‘Ӕlfgyva’, the name sewn into the tapestry above her head. However, the scene does not appear to be related in any way to the scenes either before or after and has therefore caused much discussion and theorising among historians.’

Annie Mackin

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I am a painter creating ethereal and surreal scenes rich with pagan and medieval allegory, primarily through oil paint. My work explores how ancient stories, legends, and our ancestral connections convey timeless themes of family, memory, and grief in a modern context. Using soft, otherworldly pastels, I aim to offer a sense of ease around complex subjects of loss and nostalgia, inviting viewers to connect with these universal experiences. The East Sussex landscape and the region's seasonal festivals, which honor the cycles of nature and echo ancient pagan traditions, deeply inspire my practice. Memorials, stone circles, and sacred sites frequently appear in my work, grounding it in a sense of timeless reverence. There is a strong female presence throughout, as I draw from the goddesses and heroines of ancient Celtic stories, honoring my Irish and Scottish heritage by celebrating the powerful women of myth and history. In addition to my painting practice, I am the co-founder of the Hastings and St. Leonards-based mother artist collective, Babes in Arms, alongside painter Elizabeth Power. Through this collective, we create spaces for mothers in the arts to connect, exhibit, and support one another’s work.