2 - The Fool
The Fool represents a clean slate, the birth of something new, the feeling of being unburdened (for better or worse) by past experience. When reading the Fool, it's important to remember that many of the weights we carry are carried by choice, and that we can simply decide to shed them and be free. Alternately, we can reflect on why we choose to carry these weights, and what they truly mean to us, in order to better appreciate the things we refuse to abandon.
In my vision of the Fool, there is ambiguity - is the small figure climbing into the nest, or climbing out of it? Are they very small, or is the nest very large? The eggs are larger than the Fool is, leading the reader to wonder what might develop in the future when they hatch, and whether the Fool might be making a mistake here.
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1 - The Magician
The Magician represents mastery over our own energy, and the energy of the world. It is a card of high competence, ambition, and motivation, and invites the reader to reconsider their place in the world with a higher view of themself.
The Magician is depicted here as a raven, one of the world's tool-using creatures He dances with fire to demonstrate his control over the elements, and his flames illuminate the space around him. He's based on my experience watching fire dancers at music festivals, the sheer awe and spectacle they bring.
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2 - The High Priestess
The Priestess represents the hidden parts of the world, and a teach figure who can help us come to understand our true self. When she comes up in a reading, it's important to ask yourself: what is she trying to teach you and why is this a secret from your conscious mind?
In my vision of the High Priestess, she is a fortuneteller like myself, willing to offer spiritual guidance to people who approach her for help. The crystal ball is a classic symbol of sight beyond the normal! I made her a rabbit to evoke the idea of "falling down a rabbit hole", the idea that she can guide you down a path that leads somewhere wild and mysterious.
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3 - The Empress
The Empress represents love and the world's lovely things, the ability to love others and be loved in return, and the comfort and joy that comes from spoiling those dearest to you. She's a card of family and happiness.
The Empress is a honeybee because I feel like the gift honeybees give the world is priceless beyond measure. The sweetness of the Empress is highlighted here, as is her appreciation for beauty - who loves flowers more than the bees, after all? This Empress calls you to revel in the fruits of the world's wonders.
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4 - The Emperor
The Emperor represents worldly control and authority, a figure who can be relied on to keep things orderly and working smoothly. He may be calling on you to take charge of your life, or to pay attention to the structures of rule around you.
I made him an ox because I feel like oxen represent the slow, steady, powerful confidence of this card. He's showing you the view from the top, the sight of his domain, which you can only achieve through steady hard work and endurance.
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5 - The Heirophant
The Heirophant represents a keeper of institutional knowledge, a community leader invested in passing down wisdom to the next generation. You might be part of the new generation, or the card may be calling on you to take on a mentorship role.
Keys are a traditional symbol of the Heirophant, and I wanted to put the viewer in the point of view role (as I do often in the suit of Coins), reaching for the keys. The Heirophant gives knowledge to people with the respect to ask, which means the viewer needs to be proactive.
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6 - The Lovers
The Lovers represent peace and harmony in our relationships with others, especially in romantic relationships. They may be asking you to make an important choice, or to reflect on the joy your loved ones bring to your life.
I love pigeons, I just think they're the cutest especially when they're all snuggled up with their feathers puffed out against the cold. Adorable. The birds are safe to relax like this because the humans are gently supporting them - which do you think you are, when you look at this card?
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7 - The Chariot
The Chariot represents the power to move forward and take charge of your life, the willpower and your ability to use that willpower to make the future you want for yourself. The lesson of the Chariot is often one of using your resources wisely.
I also love horses. I was a big "horse girl" as a kid, even though it turns out I'm deathly allergic to them! This card depicts the point of view from horseback as the viewer rides "off into the sunset", emphasizing the triumphant nature of the Chariot.
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8 - Justice
Justice represents the fundamental law of cause and effect. Contrary to popular belief, this is a neutral law - one thing happens, and another results. No more, no less. The idea of consequences is absolute.
Roses are my favorite flower, my favorite flavor, my favorite scent. I adore them. And to me, touching a rose and being pricked by the thorns is an example of the law of cause and effect in action. The thorns are not good or evil, they are there and they draw blood because they have been touched. That's all.
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9 - The Hermit
The Hermit represents solitude, and the wisdom that can be gained through a solitary quest, through contemplation and study. The Hermit also calls on you to bring your wisdom back with you when you return to others, and to share what you've learned in your metaphorical wilderness.
The traditional Hermit is depicted on the mountaintop, so since many of my Major Arcana are animals or animal people, I immediately thought of a mountain goat. The silhouette and glow to the eye calls to my mind the single light in the card's classic lantern. What can this goat see from up there? I wonder.
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10 - The Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune is one of the five Major Arcana that can be said to embody the inevitable. The world is always turning, and what is true one moment may be false the next - you can't stay low, or high, forever. Circumstances beyond your control are always turning.
The Wheel was a challenge for me! But it's fun to do an ornate design in linocut, where you can't be exactly exact (at least, I can't be yet). I did the design digitally, but I still needed to execute with my own two hands! My favorite touch on this is the horseshoes.
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11 - Strength
Strength is a card of inner fortitude and self-control. It's about taming your inner beast, about exhibiting strength of will, and about showing love and understanding to the different ways in which you as a person can be strong. Are you the beast, or the one controlling it? The answer changes day by day.
I love how this card came out! My concept for this card is "are you opening the door, or closing it?" - in other words, are you controlling your inner monster or are you releasing it? Something to consider when you see this card. People react differently to the monstrous face, and some of my friends find it very endearing!
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12 - The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man is a card of suspension and sacrifice, of the need for patience in times of transformation. Traditionally, the Hanged Man often references the norse god Odin, hanging from the World Tree in order to win the gift of poetry.
For this card, I wanted to play with the idea of "hanging upside-down" by making the Hanged Man a peach pit. As the fruit grows and ripens, the day where it will fall from the tree approaches. The butterfly, too, is a symbol of transformation.
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13 - Death
Death is about the inevitable cycle of change. The end is inevitable, whether that means the end of a mortal life or of a situation or relationship. Things end so new things can begin, winter comes every year, the cycle of life and death always continues.
This is the skull of an eagle. I think that speaks to where I was mentally and emotionally when I think about the concept of "the end of an era".
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14 - Temperance
Temperance is a card of alchemy, of combination, and yes, of restraint. The card speaks of correctly mixing opposites to create something new and beautiful, of refraining from extremes and finding what lies in the middle.
This card was hard for me to envision, but my friend pointed me to the idea of the mirror, of the reflection. The hand is touching its mirror image, and the ripples represent the change that radiates out when it does!
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15 - The Devil
The Devil is a stern warning. What have you allowed yourself to do? Are you blaming others, or circumstances, for things that you did willingly? You are not as helpless in your life as you might feel - you can choose to shed your chains.
I had a difficult time conceptualizing this card. I knew what I wanted to depict, but the colors and the actual arrangement of the card took a lot of fiddling. I like that the hands are clasped, and clearly belong to two different people - they are together in their suffering, which makes the card a little warmer and kinder.
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16 - The Tower
Another of the cards representing the immutable laws of the world - this one representing gravity. What goes up must come down. Nothing lasts forever, and destruction is a fact of life that can't be avoided. Conversely, just because something exists doesn't mean it can't be destroyed if a better world lies on the other side.
This is my favourite card! It was my first ever tattoo - I came from an abusive upbringing, and to me the voice of the Tower says "sometimes your world needs to be destroyed". I wanted this character to look like an evil queen, and to imply her downfall with the shattered-glass motif.
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17 - The Star
The Star is a card of hope and healing. After the destruction of the Tower, the Star represents wishes coming true, the beautiful, essential things that are left after the dust has settled, a vision for the future that can keep you moving forward.
This card is a lot of fun for me, because the perspective is so flexible. Are you looking down, seeing a starry sky reflected in the bottom of a well? Are you looking up from the bottom of the well at freedom? Several people have told me it even looks like the stars are reflected in the eye of a dragon!
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18 - The Moon
The Moon is a mysterious card, representing the shadow, the unseen and constantly changing world of the deep subconscious. Things that move like the tides, things that make little logical sense, and things that are hidden are all common meanings of the Moon.
To me, the mental illness allegory of the Moon card (as a mentally ill person myself) is important. Combine that with the element of change, and it just screams "werewolf" to me! I wanted this creature to seem powerful, but lots of my friends find it cute instead.
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19 - The Sun
The Sun represents openness, honesty, that which can plainly be seen. It's a wonderfully positive card speaking of a bright future and warm feelings between people.
I couldn't resist referencing Horus, an Egyptian sun god, in this card. Plus, the eyes of raptors like falcons are far-seeing and accurate, speaking to the meaning of "truth" that the cards hold. I love how the colors on this one came out. So warm! Do you see the human silhouette behind him?
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20 - Judgement
Judgement traditionally depicts the Day of Judgement, the end of times. So, it's no surprise that it's a card of finality and endings. It's viewed as being much bigger than the Death card, and asks us what we carry forward from this final moment.
I wanted to capture the prayerful reflection theme of Judgement with this card. It was a lot of fun carving the shapes of the hair, which I deliberately filled the frame with in order to make use of those flowing shapes. For me, Judgement is a watery card, about the inevitable flow of time.
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21 - The World
The World represents completion and achievement, the full synthesis of everything that has been learned up until this point, the fruits of long-made effort.
To me, that meaning suggested a figure in "full bloom", which is why the head is a flower. I hoped to capture a dancerly movement, as if the figure was free and happy, enjoying the fruition of everything they had worked for. I hope I can be like this when the deck is finished!
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