Anticipation 

Lucia Heffernan’s painting presents us with a pig in a festive red coat, but it is the mistletoe above that strikes a deeper chord. In ancient Celtic traditions, mistletoe was thought to have healing powers and ward off evil spirits. But over time, it has evolved into a symbol of love and peace, particularly during the Christmas season. I am reminded of images of intertwined figures from antiquity, where foliage signaled moments of transformation and connection. The mistletoe, in this context, becomes a focal point for our collective desires for closeness and affection. It acts on a subconscious level, eliciting feelings of warmth, nostalgia, and the hopeful anticipation of connection. The motif has traveled through time, resurfacing in medieval folklore and Victorian-era customs, each era layering its own nuances onto the plant's symbolic weight. The persistence of mistletoe as a symbol of love highlights our enduring need for connection, a theme that resonates across cultures and centuries.