We all know the classic Snow White story — the shiny red apple, the deep sleep, and the prince swooping in to save the day. It's a sweet story. But honestly? It always felt a little too neat and safe to me, even when I was a kid.
My childhood brain ended up rewriting that whole scene in a way that was way more hardcore. Instead of her just taking a bite and drifting off into a magical nap, I used to imagine that she was actually impaled on the giant stem of a massive apple.
Yeah... definitely a bit macabre for a kid. But for some reason, that version just intrigued me so much more. I've always thought fairytales are just better when they're left in the dark.
This piece is me finally bringing that exact, weird childhood thought to life.
I wanted to capture that beautifully tragic, quiet melancholy. The massive, heavy crimson of the apple. How starkly it contrasts with her pale skin. The way she's completely undone by the very thing that lured her in. She isn't just resting — she's part of the landscape now.
For me, growing up didn't mean outgrowing fairytales. It just meant leaning into the shadows of them and finding the poetry in the darker stuff.
I'd love to know what you think of this one. Did anyone else give classic stories a weird, dark twist in their head as a kid, or was it just me?
Collect Her
The Poisoned Apple is available as an art print, ACEO card, and greeting card — each one a little piece of that darker fairytale to take home with you.