Artist CG Michaels on Illustrating Sasquatch and Fairy Folklore

Ever stumbled across a podcast that makes you rethink everything you thought you knew about the connections between different cryptids and folklore beings? That's exactly what happened when I came across this gem of an interview over on The Fairy Whispering Podcast, hosted by the lovely Cla Casley. She sat down with artist Edward Oliver, who goes by the pen name CG Michaels, and the conversation takes some seriously fascinating turns into the world of Sasquatch and its surprising kinship with fairy phenomena. Now, CG Michaels isn't just any artist. He's built up an impressive body of work dedicated entirely to depicting Sasquatch, also known in some circles as the woodwose or wild men of the woods. What makes his approach so unique is the way he blends his lifelong love of the paranormal and anomalous with his artistic talents. As he explains in the interview, it was only in recent years that he decided to marry those two passions together, and the results are stunning. One thing that really stood out to me was how CG describes his creative process. He talks about how listening to podcasts and diving into research creates this almost obsessive need to draw, to capture what he's learning on paper. A lot of his sketches come to him while he's listening to stories about Sasquatch encounters, and he just lets the images flow. The piece he discusses early in the interview is a beautiful fine liner sketch that captures the deep connection these beings have with nature, something so many witnesses have described over the years. But here's where things get really interesting for anyone who's spent time studying Sasquatch reports. CG mentions being drawn to stories where ordinary people have extraordinary experiences, particularly when those people know nothing about the phenomenon beforehand. That tracks with so many Bigfoot encounters I've come across over the years. Think about it: how many witnesses have described seeing a figure in the woods and having no idea what it was until they got home and started researching? That raw, unfiltered experience is what makes these accounts so compelling. What really caught my attention was Cla's framing of the conversation. She includes Bigfoot within the broader umbrella of fairy research because of the crossover between the two phenomena. And honestly, she's onto something. Researchers and enthusiasts have been drawing these parallels for years. Both Sasquatch and fairy folk are described as wild, hairy humanoids living in remote areas. Both are associated with strange lights, unexplained sounds, and that eerie feeling of being watched in the woods. Both seem to have an ability to appear and disappear at will, and both have been connected to altered states of consciousness in witnesses. The historical woodwose that CG mentions is particularly worth digging into. These wild men of the woods appear throughout medieval European art and literature, depicted as hairy, forest-dwelling beings that lived on the edges of civilization. Sound familiar? The descriptions match countless Sasquatch encounters almost perfectly. Whether you're looking at old woodcuts from the Middle Ages or modern-day sighting reports from the Pacific Northwest, the parallels are striking. CG also touches on how his interest deepened during lockdown, when he started listening to more podcasts and found himself sketching and drawing more than ever. That period really did spark a creative boom for a lot of people in this community, and it's wonderful to see how that energy translated into artwork dedicated to Sasquatch. If you're into the artistic side of Sasquatch research, or if you've ever wondered about the connections between different cryptid and folklore traditions, this is definitely worth checking out. Cla and Ed have a beautiful, thoughtful conversation that touches on the paranormal aspects of Bigfoot, the storytelling behind the artwork, and why these beings continue to capture our imaginations. Go give it a watch when you get a chance, you won't be disappointed.