First post

I’ve been an artist for many years, but only recently have I began interpreting the Tarot. One  set in particular started me on this path: the Marseille deck created by Jean Noblet around 1650.  Its almost crude woodcut and stencil approach seemed to have a power and presence not found in more elegant or ‘mystical’ cards. I found myself drawn in particular to The Star.

I sketched out some variations and finally completed my version earlier this year (2024, for those reading this in future).
I tried to capture the rough simplicity that attracted me to Noblet’s work, the rudimentary line work and flat planes of color. From there, I would draw a card at random from my deck and let that be my next subject. The Star led to The Empress, then to The Lovers and so on.
And I found that the cards I drew spoke to my life circumstances and situations in an uncanny way.  I wasn’t doing a standard reading, just a casual shuffle and draw. But the card selected would invariably apply to things in a most specific way.  For example, I’ve be contemplating putting up a website and becoming more active in the art world for a while now. And the card I drew for my next subject (which I am working on now) was The Magician.
When I draw a card, I do a lot of research on both its imagery and symbolism. I have many books on the Tarot, and the Web at my fingertips. And what did I find when diving into The Magician? Some quotes from various sources:

The time to take action is now and any signs of holding back would mean missing the opportunity of becoming the best version of yourself. Certain choices will have to be made and these can bring great changes to come.
The Magician is the card of manifestation, meaning should you have the desire and commitment to pursue whatever it is you want in your career, you’re likely to find success.
The card points to new opportunities presenting themselves. They will require you to make a brave move and to put your original ideas into practice.

So here I am, putting my ideas into practice. I hope you find value in my work. Let me know what you think.
Thanks for reading,
Landis