Tarot on Canvas Guidebook

As a young painter, I became fascinated in seeing the world and its history through art. I began to understand paintings as treasures from a time capsule. Each piece is an immortalized reflection of its individual creator and that person’s own life, influence, and friends. But each piece also captures a larger picture, of its society at large, of the time it was forged within.

The wisdom art can provide us is endless - and the practice of tarot seemed a perfect vessel through which to channel art’s stories.

My introduction to tarot arrived much later than my introduction to art, but when my mentor / tarot master Kelly Kimball performed my first reading, I was immediately enthralled with the art of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. No mark was wasted. Every single line, shape, color, and form has meanings and interconnections with other cards. This too is true in great art. It seemed then only fitting to transform these works of art through the style of Pamela Colman Smith’s original drawings.

As we began designing this deck, we found uncanny parallels between the characters of the tarot and our chosen paintings. Klimt’s infamous ‘The Kiss’ became ‘The Lovers’. The more obscure Morisot’s ‘Woman and Child on Balcony’ became ‘Strength’. The stories these paintings and their artists tell, and the history they helped define, fit so perfectly within the arc of the tarot. It was amazing!

As such, this deck is meant for anyone open to learning a little bit about both Art History and Tarot, while making sense of your place in your own life’s timeline while you’re at it. Like the art itself, the tarot will reveal truths within yourself and will expand your range as a human. At least, that is our hope.

It was a joyous meditation to study closely these works of art we’ve seen a million times but may have never truly seen. May it bring you the same enchantment it brought us.

– Asher & Abby

THE DECK

Our deck draws most of its parallels from the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck, which is often cited as the ‘standard’ deck. For those of you intimately familiar with this deck, you’ll find we kept the color palettes and added some familiar imagery to each correlating card.

We’ve included 22 Major Arcana (big question) cards, each featuring an archetype or significant moment of the human experience we call life. In our deck, some of the standard names have been altered (‘The World’ becomes ‘The Salon’) and the correlations are included in this book. When you pull a Major Arcana card, it implies you are at a most significant moment on your personal journey. These are exciting cards!

In addition to the Major Arcana, there are 56 Minor Arcana (smaller question) cards. These offer insight on the more day-to-day issues of life and encompass the ups, downs, surprises, & beauty of everyday life.

In our deck, we have altered the standard Minor Arcana suits as such:

WANDS, represented by LIGHT

Like a lightbulb that turns on with a great idea, this suit guides our inspirations & passions. It is the suit of fire.

CUPS, represented by COLOR

Color exists on a spectrum, much like our emotions. The suit of Color takes us through our highest highs and our lowest lows, crashing and fizzling like the ocean. This is the suit of water.

SWORDS, represented by PERSPECTIVE

Living in the realm of the mind, this suit garners curiosity and mental grit. It is oen the suit that challenges us the most, until we begin to see things from a different perspective. This is the suit of air.

PENTACLES, represented by FORM

Concerned with the tactile, tangible world, this is the suit of earth. The three-dimensional, physical space we artists mirror on two-dimensional planes.

Within each suit, Pages, Knights, Queens, & Kings are represented by APPRENTICES, CRITICS, COLLECTORS, and MASTERS respectively.

Many of our cards are inspired by paintings that look strikingly similar to their counterparts, while others take a more interpretive approach. But the ultimate goal was to preserve the essence of both the original painting & the correlating tarot card.

In this booklet, we’ve provided our interpretations as well as relevant facts about the original art & artist to accompany each piece, but we oen find the most meaningful interpretations come from giving yourself time to savor.

Our suggestion - start by observing each of the four corners of the canvas. Work your way inward to the center or focal point. This will help you find details you may have missed, and will let you take in the full work.

Then - ask questions about the art. Why yellow? Why there? What does this remind me of? How does this make me feel? This will deepen your connection with all art. And even better, this way (unlike an Art History exam), there are no wrong answers :)

GETTING STARTED

Like art, everyone has their own particular relationship with tarot, and as such there are innumerable ways to use and enjoy this deck. We will go through a few of the most popular “spreads,” which we think is a good way to get started, especially if you’re new to tarot. But there are many more you could find online, and you could even design your own!

However, nearly all spreads do start the same way: with a shuffle, a meditation, & a question.

Shuffle - shuffle & cut the deck as many times as feels right for you. You can even continue to shuffle as you move on to your meditation and question.

Meditation - start by closing your eyes and clearing your mind. A few short breaths will help center you into your session.

Question - Kelly would have us ask, “Wisdom of the Tarot, what advice can you offer us

for...” You can use this question format, or ask yes-or-no questions, or any other type of questions you seek answers to. While it doesn’t matter what you ask, our advice is that you enter a session with just one question so that you can interpret your answers most accurately. The clearer and more specific your question is, the clearer and more specific your answer will be.

So, with all this in mind, you’re now officially ready to begin a session:

"The Impressionist"
(One-Card) Spread

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This is the simplest way to do a reading, and oen the best place to start for beginners. Aer shuffling your deck, fan out the cards and pick whichever card calls to you using your visual, artistic, creative intuition.

Once you pick, before you check this guidebook, give yourself a moment with your card to take in the piece of art. Remember, start by observing all four corners, then work your way to the center. Really absorb the details of the art and take note of how it affects you. Then, when you’re ready, consult the book for further interpretation. See how this may answer the question you asked, or guide you in the direction of an answer.

One common practice is to pull a new card every day or every week and to let this inform the energy you enter your days/weeks with. Pro tip: this will help you quickly learn more about tarot. It’s really quite rewarding!

"The Renaissance"
(Three-Card) Spread

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This is another relatively quick and simple way to do a reading. The most common way to interpret the 3-Card spread is to have the cards represent the past, present, and future (in the order by which you picked them, 1-2-3).

The third card (the future) is not divination in the classic sense so much that it predicts your future. Rather, the card reveals truths or provides guidance so you can freely move into your future self. Just as every new piece of art is the result of thousands of years of interconnected art history - each movement building, challenging, & responding to one another - so too are the stages of your life.

Another way to read a 3-Card spread is to interpret the first card as the answer to your question. The second card then represents the obstacles in your way of achieving this answer. And the third card represents ways to help achieve this answer.

"The Kelly Cross"
(Ten-Card) Spread

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This is our take on the standard ‘Celtic Cross’ spread, one of the most popular and comprehensive ways to engage in tarot readings. We offer you the Celtic Cross format via the non-traditional way our mentor Kelly read it for us during the very last reading we had with her before she passed away (in this session, she read the cards in reverse order).

The Palette (Where you are physically, mentally, spiritually in the moment)
Your Obstacles (what’s getting in your way of personal progress)
The Gesso (similar to the 3-card reading, represents your past)
Your Future (guides for how to move forward and overcome your obstacles)
Your Mind (your conscious thought processes on achieving these goals)
The Hidden Layers (what you’re not

aware of that’s beneath all your goals

and obstacles)
Your Reflection (how you see yourself

going through these situations)
Your Portrait (how others see you going

through this situation, and how this will

affect the outcome)
Your Creative Vision (your hopes,

dreams, & fears that both inspire and

potentially obstruct your path)
The Finished Piece (how it’s all going to

work out - the final answer to your question)

While this spread already requires a longer time commitment because of its amount of cards, we’d like to remind you that you should still take a moment to observe the art on each card before consulting this book.

The great misunderstanding of the quote-unquote “Art World” is that your interpretation is not valid unless you are a so-called expert. This is not true in art, and it’s not true in tarot. Your personal interpretations are always the most valid.

A QUICK NOTE ON ORIENTATION

Each tarot user interprets tarot differently. Kelly did not interpet reversals for us. Seeing as she was our inspiration for this deck, we have not provided reversal meanings. In fact, each card is oriented to best suit the dimensions of the original work of art (so, some cards are horizontally oriented and others are vertically oriented). Our advice is that aer you pull your card(s), you orient them as they would appear on a museum wall, right-side up. That said, as each card here correlates with the Rider-Waite-Smith Deck, you could always find reversal meanings on your own (usually some form of the opposite meaning to the original) and apply it here.

Now, without further adieu, it’s time for you to get started and enjoy your deck!

Take a deep breath and ask away...

About This Deck

Getting Started

Orientation

MAJOR ARCANA

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THE MAJOR ARCANA

0 - The Dreamer

(relates to The Fool)

Inspired by The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard - The Wallace Collection, London, UK

Focal Points:

Genesis ◍ Optimism

As a Dreamer, you have the superpower of childlike optimism that will fuel a new journey you are about to embark on. Don’t lose this fantastical lens through which you view the world! Embrace the challenges and rewards that a little flippant risk brings. The Dreamer card is inspired by the French Romantic painting The Swing, which depicts a woman swinging gleefully in an enchanted-looking forest, kicking her slipper off, totally carefree. Beneath her, one man pushes her swing, while another man points up her skirt, and a concerned dog barks. But the less-than-ideal surroundings do not worry this swinger. She lives in her own, untroubled reality and dares to bend the ‘real world’ to her euphoric existence. Live your truth, your fantasy, & ask the world to buy in. You’d be surprised...it just might.

I - The Magician

Inspired by Creation of Adam by Michelangelo - The Sistine Chapel, Vatican City

Focal Points:

Physical ◍ Action ◍ Unorthodox

The Magician can take ideas and turn them into reality. You are in a state of pure creation and manifestation. This card was inspired by Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, where we see a visualization of the moment humankind was created — we see life itself being transported from an ethereal space to the physical plane. Some scholars point to the forms behind God and say it’s designed to evoke a brain. Interpreting the painting this way, it becomes a representation of God manifesting His greatest idea: in other words, giving life to Life. Be confident in your ability to bring life to your own concepts & ideas. No more conjecture. You have the power within you, so just do it.

II - The Muse

(relates to The High Priestess)

Inspired by Water Lilies by Claude Monet - Art Institute Chicago, Chicago, USA

Focal Points:

Spirit ◍ Discovery

The Muse is the card of intuition. You are encouraged to tap into the spiritual connection, the divine spark, that happens when inspiration strikes. Monet’s personal flower garden, and specifically his lilies, were his muses for the last thirty years of his life. Singularly inspired by these flowers, Monet’s Water Lilies, which this card is based upon, lies wholly outside practicality or conformity. Here, the title suggests we’re simply looking at water lilies in a pond. But when we tap into our perception and let our minds flow, we see that Monet has cleverly painted a portrait within the water’s reflection, of the trees and sky above, both of which are cropped from our realm of vision. Gaze deeper now and connect with the unseen – it will reveal the truth.

III - The Artist

(relates to The Empress)

Inspired by El Jaleo by John Singer Sargent - Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, USA

Focal Points:

Creativity ◍ Sensuality

The Artist signifies full commitment to, and envelopment in, the process of creativity. Inspired by Sargent’s El Jaleo, our dancing Artist fills the foreground with freedom and sensuality, but she also grants the musicians and performers in the background the grace to dive deeply into their own experience. We get the sense it is her passion that inspires their music, not the other way around. The Artist’s presence supports and encourages a communal creative vision. As a result, the whole room plays and claps to the same rhythm, delighting in the Creative Field which she so charismatically holds with her movement. You too command this ability to inspire & empassion others. Don’t be too careful or conservative with this power. It’s best wielded with a bit of blind trust that you’re in control.

VI - The Lovers

Inspired by The Kiss by Gustav Klimt - Österreichische Galerie Belvedere, Vienna Austria

Focal Points:

Devotion ◍ Commitment ◍ Depth

The Lovers card encourages complete and total commitment. Not just romantically, but in any relationship or aspect of your life that could benefit from your dedication. Inspired by Klimt’s The Kiss - we see two lovers, lost in their devotion to one another. In the original painting, this is rewarded by the artist’s addition of decadent gold leaf, as if to say love of this kind is tangibly valuable. Through these figures, we understand the depth, beauty, and complexity that comes from total commitment. The woman’s posture reminds us that surrender, as well as action, is a concrete choice that is ours to make. When considering your options, remember that going with the flow is as much a choice as any. Make your decision, run the course full stop, and reap the rewards.

IV - The Manifesto

(relates to The Emperor)

Inspired by George Washington Crossing The Delaware by Emanuel Leutze - Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, USA

Focal Points:

Precise ◍ Conclusive ◍ Organized

You know what you want – this is a truly rare gi that you mustn't let pass you by. You are currently in a flow state – through clarity of vision and a thirst for decisive action, you have become a leader in some part of your life. Like Leutze’s scene of George Washington’s defining military moment, they who pull The Manifesto card are firm in their beliefs and will withstand any obstacle to achieve it. There’s an essence of being headstrong and calculated - but this is all for the greater good. And while it’s your vision and your plan, you know that it’s impossible to manifest your goal alone. As a leader, you ultimately rely on others for the skills and strengths you do not possess. Don’t isolate yourself at this time. Use your team, your community, and you will all succeed.

VII - The Collective

(relates to The Chariot)

Inspired by Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli - Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Focal Points:

Balance ◍ Opportunity

Many doors will soon be opening for you! A seemingly rag-tag collection of conditions and resources are coming together in your life, likely in non-linear, unexpected ways. But still, somehow, everything will turn out just right. These beautiful concurrences reminded us of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. In our interpretation of this famous painting, you can see the asymmetrical sprawl of lightness & darkness, earth & sea, human & non-human. Slightly off center, we have Venus in contrapposto, her weight shied to one side to create an angular, albeit iconic, pose. It’s odd. It’s off-kilter. It’s slightly disorienting. And yet, it is one of the most recognizable paintings of all time. Reach into the chaos and accept the seemingly random array of gis the Universe is offering you to find what brings you balance.

V - The Blank Canvas

(relates to The Hierophant)

Inspired by Wanderer Above a Sea of Clouds by Caspar David Friedrich - Kunsthalle Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

Focal Points:

Clarity ◍ Translation

The Blank Canvas is an embodiment of spiritual wisdom, a possibility that, like The Magician, translates the ethereal into the physical realm. If you picked this card, this is your call to ground yourself in who you are so you can more clearly see the road ahead. Here we were inspired by Friedrich’s infamous Wanderer, who stands firmly on the earth, looking out over a foggy mist. He is both grounded and suspended — earthly and divine. Painted in the era of French Romanticism, the original painting was meant to do little more than evoke a feeling. However, in this case, it is oen debated what that feeling actually is – melancholy, triumph, contemplation? It’s about as definitive as a Blank Canvas would be. You must trust your feelings and use your grounded intuition to come to the truth here, as in your own life.

VIII - Strength

Inspired by Woman and Child on Balcony by Berthe Morisot - Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA

Focal Points:

Compassion ◍ Softness

Your strength is in your gentle kindness, and you use this strength for the greatest good. Here we were inspired by Morisot’s Woman and Child on Balcony. The bereaved woman’s instincts may be to cry or rage, but she bravely holds a so and supportive presence to preserve the child’s innocence and wellbeing. This isn’t to say you should repress or suppress these other powerful emotions. But rather, consider compassion in the face of challenge – or even the mundane – in the hopes that we may better ourselves and those around us. This may mean showing grace to others or yourself in place of judgment or hostility. Where in your life can you soen where you would otherwise hardened your heart? This is true strength.

IX - The Starving Artist

(relates to The Hermit)

Inspired by The Bedroom by Vincent van Gogh - Art Institute of Chicago, USA

Focal Points:

Introspection ◍ Meditator

Right now, you may be pushed and pulled by the over-stimulating outer world. The Starving Artist encourages you to take this opportunity to pull back and reduce your exposure to too much sensory input. Van Gogh’s Bedroom inspired this card - and should serve as a reminder of the inner gaze of self discovery. There is so much to be inspired by before you even leave your bedroom! And sometimes focusing on introspection can even translate into wisdom in the outer world. If your journey draws you inward now, embrace it. It will clarify who & what you want to surround yourself with when you re-emerge. Just remember there is a difference between this and total seclusion. Even in van Gogh’s most isolated of times, he still seems to be inviting us in for a cup of tea - even if he’s not ready to go out yet.

X - Wheel of Fortune

Inspired by A Friend in Need by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge - Private Collection

Focal Points:

Introspection ◍ Meditator

The Wheel of Fortune is an emblem of the circle of life. It is unbiased in its reminder of life's chaos and order all at once. Take a moment to note that, whether you are experiencing highs, lows, or something in between, you are just on one stop of an ongoing cycle. Just as CM Coolidge’s Dogs Playing Poker series of paintings have gone from beloved cigar advertisements, to admonished ‘kitschy’ art, to now being respected as fine art in their own right. Whatever stop of the cycle you’re on, it will pass, and you will return. You simply have to play with the cards you are dealt at this moment, and be open to accepting a better hand when it arrives, even if it’s passed to you by a friend under the table. Live life with this openness and understanding, and who knows what might happen?

XI - Balance

(relates to Justice)

Inspired by Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt van Rijn - Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia

Focal Points:

Judgment ◍ Comprehensive

Balance asks you to look at what is presented in the here and now. While we may oen rely on precedent and theoreticals, when the time comes for us to pass judgment, we must really take a look at the whole picture. In Rembrandt’s Return of the Prodigal Son, which inspired this card, a father grants his son forgiveness aer committing the unforgivable. While society would have him turn his back on his son, the father considers the fate that he has befallen & what the future may hold for him, then welcomes him with open arms. Notice where your conviction comes from autopilot, and see where you can make a more wholly informed decision. May compassion balance the lightness and darkness within you, and tip your scales toward a more true, and a more present, form of justice.

XII - The Doodle

(relates to The Hanged Man)

Inspired by Sunday Aernoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by George Seurat - Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA

Focal Points:

Relaxation ◍ Inaction

It’s time to relax! You’ve put in all the spiritual work, and now you must trust that this work will pay off. Maybe it already has! Your job now is to sit tight and have faith that your efforts will meet you where you are. Like the patrons of Seurat’s park, you have gotten yourself as far as you can go — there are no more actions to take. You are at the water’s edge, so have a seat and enjoy the beautiful view. The woods behind the park-goers is dark and somewhat ominous, indicating your path to get here was not easy (just as Seurat’s point-by-point path to the original version of this room-sized behemoth painting was arduous, to say the least). But now that it’s complete, you can enjoy the comfort of some simple doodling. Stop, breathe, and give yourself the rest you so truly deserve.

XIII - Death

Inspired by Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh - National Gallery, London, UK

Focal Points:

Transient ◍ Opportunity ◍ Fleeting

It’s time for something in your life to change. This change may seem sad, frightening, or even unbearable. But it has arrived to you with a humble neutrality, and if you are open to it, it could even be a source of inspiration or hope. Van Gogh’s time in Arles, where he painted several Sunflower paintings that inspired this card, was famously both turbulent and inspiring as it provided a definite shi in his trajectory. The sunflowers remind us that change brings balance and cosmic order to the universe. The flowers evenly fill the frame as they begin to droop and fizzle out. The seeds can now be extracted and used to nourish. We may have loved their beauty in their prime, and even here as they began to wilt, but now it’s time to move on and appreciate the endless possibilities of an empty vase.

XIV - Varnish

(relates to Temperance)

Inspired by The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer - Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Focal Points:

Abundance ◍ Innovation

Everything you need is right at your fingertips! There is a beautiful power in contentment, but to prevent stagnation you must work towards turning all you have into something even more beneficial. This card was inspired by Vermeer’s The Milkmaid, whose titular character holds a so, calm gaze over her task. She is confident in her abundance, and this brings her peace. Yet she carries on with her work to make something meaningful. You too have all of the ingredients you need. Now give yourself permission to play. You don’t want to look back on this moment and feel you wasted an opportunity to risk, to build something truly great. Even if you mess up, you’ll still have a stable foundation to stand on (or pantry staples to build off of). See where you can take your life from fulfilled to innovative.

XV - The Commission

(relates to The Devil)

Inspired by Medusa by Caravaggio - Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Focal Points:

Motivation ◍ Mischievous

Do you create for self fulfillment? Or are you in it for the money? The latter is the trap that many creatives fall into. The Commission, the external rewards, – this is the monster that, like Medusa, turns all who gaze into her eyes to lifeless stone. This card was inspired by Caravaggio’s infamous circular painting, whose very shape demonstrates the artist’s inclination to paint by the stroke of his own brush. Caravaggio famously forwent traditional processes by not using planning sketches but rather just going for it directly on the canvas. One could argue Caravaggio was in it simply for the process of doing it. This should be the goal of every artist. Enjoy the process. Perseus defeated Medusa by using a mirrored shield. Take his cue, and look at yourself in the face of temptation. This will keep you honest about your ‘why’ and will help you stay on a fulfilled path.

XVI - The Tower

Inspired by The Scream by Edvard Munch - National Gallery, Oslo, Norway

Focal Points:

Shaky Foundation ◍ Catharsis

Whatever “it” is in your life - the Tower indicates that it’s not working for you. Chances are you already know this - because these things are rarely subtle. Whether it be work, a relationship, a creative project - it was not built on a solid foundation... and so it very likely will all come crumbling down. This is not something you could duct tape over the cracks to fix. This will require a full rebuild. We took inspiration here from Munch’s infamous The Scream. Just as the original painting offers a cathartic, external representation of an internal panic attack - these moments of dreaded impact that The Tower suggest also come with a special kind of catharsis. You likely knew deep down that it wasn’t built to last, so maybe there is some relief in the promise of a clean slate. Like a scream releasing fear from within, you are now free.

XVII - The Star

Inspired by Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh - Museum of Modern Art, NY, USA

Focal Points:

Balance ◍ Natural Beauty

In van Gogh’s Starry Night, which so appropriately inspired The Star card, the vastness of the universe dwarfs the town beneath it and almost insists that we, the viewers, take a knowing pause and refocus on the present. Van Gogh achieves this by reminding us of the wonder that exists all around us, or above us, every day and every night. When you look up, all the spiraling thoughts that consume our days but are not in the present - such as planning, stressing about tomorrow, rushing to get here or there...it all fades away. Note how the stars and the moon feel anchored in place as the rest of the night sky swirls around them. Let this image be your north Star, forever available to you in your mind’s eye. Stay present, remind yourself where you are in the Universe, and the world will feel extraordinary, instead of overwhelming.

XVIII - The Moon

Inspired by Sleeping Gypsy by Henri Rousseau - Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA

Focal Points:

Dreams ◍ Wild vs. Domestic

This card, inspired by Rousseau’s Sleeping Gypsy, features a woman sleeping peacefully in an open landscape while a lion, frightened, inspects her with an almost humanlike worry. This begs the question - which one is wild and which one is domesticated? The essence of the Moon card is to find balance between your domesticated self and your too-oen repressed wild self. Consider in this moment letting your instinctive, impulsive self take the reins for a bit. Rousseau did this as a Naïvist, self-taught painter who trusted his creative vision to guide his brush without formal training. The Moon card challenges you to do the same. Under the cloak of a night sky, can you find what lingers beneath the surface of your soul that keeps you from your full potential? Pro tip: Let out a howl. Literally: “Aaaooo!” This will help you find your wild self and make decisions from a more instinctive place.

XIX - The Sun

Inspired by Flaming June by Frederic Leighton - Museo de Arte de Ponce, Ponce, Puerto Rico

Focal Points:

Carefree ◍ Protected

Every one of us has an inner fire. This is our life force from which we draw our energy, our strength, our creativity. But right now your inner fire is such that you have become the very Sun on Earth. You light up every room you enter. You spread warmth to those around you. The path ahead of you is eternally lit as you are your own beacon. Best of all, this way of being is effortless for you. It’s just how you are. Naturally, we were drawn to Leighton’s original Flaming June for this card, who seems to radiate from within, even while sleeping - her contentment resting on nothing more than being alive. Let this guide you. You may contain the power of the sun, but this energy needn’t be spent on conventional productivity. Give yourself permission to take your time. Take a nap, even. The Sun is always shining somewhere, whether we’re awake or not. Relax in knowing it’s all going to work out.

XX - Jury

(relates to Judgment)

Inspired by Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch - Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

Focal Points:

Perspective ◍ Interpretation

Life is a series of small decisions and moments that make up our stories. Rarely do we get the chance to see it all from a bird’s eye view. But right now, you can. Inspired by Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, we see the whole story of humankind in a triptych - from paradise in the Garden of Eden (le), to men’s sinful delights on Earth (middle) to the final decision: punishment in hell (right). Your wide-angle lens allows you to see everything that has led you to this moment. The only thing that’s missing is your final decision. It might not be your call to make, but by seeing the whole picture all at once, albeit a bit overwhelming, you can get a better idea of your place in your own story arc. Most importantly, this will help you come to terms with the outcome so you can freely step into the next part of your journey.

XXI - The Salon

(relates to The World)

Inspired by Dance at Bougival by Pierre-Auguste Renoir - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA

Focal Points:

Perspective ◍ Interpretation

The Salon is a celebration of a full circle moment. You have completed an arduous and rewarding journey. Now it’s time to rejoice! Inspired by Renior’s Dance at Bougival, The Salon card encourages you to feel free and joyous. You should embrace the fluidity that comes with the changing of the metaphorical seasons of your life. Make note that at this point in the cycle, you are in a good place. However, the circle of life must continue to go around. That’s how we end up in moments like these in the first place. Sometimes the good times pass before we ever get to appreciate them in the present. Fortunately, this is not one of those times. So be sure to stay present and relish in this highpoint of the dance of life.

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THE MINOR ARCANA:

LIGHT

LIGHT ANCHOR

ACE of LIGHT

Inspired by A Mermaid by John William Waterhouse - Royal Academy of the Arts, London, UK

Focal Points:

Creativity ◍ Empowerment

We live in a world where profits oen dictate art - but you are beyond this. Creativity flows through your veins in such a way where the earthly concerns of your fellow artists may seem almost juvenile. Success is not riches (though those may be flowing toward you, too). Rather, success is empowering your full creative self to realize its vision. Let your imagination guide you in this chapter of wondrous creation. Give yourself permission to feel bold, sexy, & unstoppable as you create from the most unfiltered realm of your inner self. As most of his contemporaries in the ‘Art World’ indulged in realism & impressionism - Waterhouse stayed true to the myths and legends of his childhood, here seen on this card inspired by his Mermaid. Don’t let those around you dictate your style. You are enough. This is your time. Do you!

TWO of LIGHT

Inspired by Portrait of Madame X
by John Singer Sargent - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Focal Points:

Focus ◍ Vision

As confidently as Madame X stands in her titular painting which inspired this card, you too possess a clarity of vision and an ease of poise that will carry you forward. You have chosen your path and you will not look back. You may feel small seeds of doubt growing inside, or you may be unable to quiet the doubts of others. But you must suppress the urge to veer off course. John Singer Sargent debuted his original portrait with Madame X’s le dress strap down, hanging under her shoulder. Scandal ensued! And suffering an initial setback in his career, Sargent bowed to the overwhelming criticism and repainted the dress strap so that it was more “tasteful,” securely over her shoulder, as we see here. Your job now is to be less like Sargent, and more like his subject. Don’t look back or question yourself. Onward you go!

THREE of LIGHT

Inspired by Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting by Artemisia Gentileschi, 1638 Royal Collection, UK

Focal Points:

Studiousness ◍ Focus ◍ Confidence

You have put so much into your creative & career efforts that you and your work have become synonymous. Here, we were inspired by Artemisia Gentileschi, who so boldly painted her self portrait as the human personification of Painting itself. As if to say, she is Painting. Her work exudes confidence, and you should too! You are at this level! Just remember, that doesn’t mean you have nothing le to learn. See how Gentileschi appears to still be solving the puzzle of her own painting. You are reminded to keep at the hard work that got you here. You are in a time of abundance, but fortune flows your way precisely because you are an eternal student - always open to learning more, always open to another hour of practice. This keeps you focussed & authentic, which steadies the path you are already on - the path that will lead you to your dreams.

FOUR of LIGHT

Inspired by Breakfast in Bed by Mary Cassatt - Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, CA

Focal Points:

Inner Peace ◍ Harmony ◍ Stability

You have done the work, followed your path with integrity, and can now finally relax in knowing you have reached your goals. Don’t let the habit of hard work or the temptation of dissatisfaction pull you out of your much-deserved time of settlement. You deserve to feel totally, completely at peace. Cassatt floods her original painting (which this card is based upon) with the bright light of a new day, yet her figures seem to radiate on their own, from within. This is your energy right now, and you must enjoy it. Like Cassatt, you must honor the smallest & the biggest moments of life with equal measure. In the end, this is what it’s all about.

FIVE of LIGHT

Inspired by The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault - Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Focal Points:

Competition ◍ Stress

Géricault painted a scene of a naval disaster that turned into a world-wide phenomenon. The ‘Titanic’ before the Titanic. We were inspired by this scene - The Ra of the Medusa - for the Five of Light because it is a perfectly composed portrait of a loss of composure. A balanced image of imbalance. You may recently have enjoyed a time of relative peace & quiet, but recent upheavals are casting you off course. You find yourself unable to avoid stressful situations or arguments with loved ones. But The Ra reminds us that balance can be found. Outward stress & combativeness are all rooted within. Now is the time to calm your mind. Use your breath or the sound of the waves to find peace within. This is your sanctuary and your path to compose serenity from chaos.

SIX of LIGHT

Inspired by Judith Slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi -
Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Focal Points:

Earned Power ◍ Strength ◍ Victory

Righteous victory in every sense! Of course, we were inspired by none other than Gentileschi’s depiction of Judith - which exudes victory on so many levels. For its subjects, Judith victoriously assassinates the oppressive king as goes the biblical story. And for Gentileschi herself, the victim of a heinous crime, she emerges victorious with a kind of artistic revenge. Put together, one feels a palpable sense of strength and power that radiates from the work that inspired this card, and its history. This is the power that lives within you. You’ve earned your keep with blood, sweat, & tears, and with each victory of yours, the world becomes a better place. So go out there and keep winning for the rest of us.

SEVEN of LIGHT

Inspired by Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix - Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Focal Points:

Bravery ◍ Endurance ◍ Leadership

The world needs people who believe deeply in their ideals, and you are such a person. Your convictions have inspired a community; to them you are a bright flame extinguishing the darkness. Here, we were inspired by Delacroix’s Liberty who leads her people on the physical battlefields of the French Revolution. Yet it’s not hard to imagine Delacroix himself fighting with the only weapon he could - his paintbrush. Like Delacroix, you might not be a typical ‘fighter,’ but you have come too far to turn back now. You must summon your inner bravery & courage to persevere. This may be a longer fight than expected, and many people now depend on you to succeed. This is a time of endurance. This is a time to remember what - and who - you’re really fighting for.

EIGHT of LIGHT

Inspired by Stag at Sharkey’s by George Bellows - Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, USA

Focal Points:

Change ◍ Movement ◍ Pushes & Pulls

There is a beautiful choreography in the pushes and pulls of life, if only you appreciate the divine act of movement. Now is the time of constant, spontaneous changes. Dramatic shis that will ask you to act & adjust in real time. But with movement comes momentum. Bellows was a member of the Ashcan Art Movement, himself combining the light & motion techniques of the Impressionists with the gritty subject matter of the Realists. His art inspired this card and it - just like your life - is the culmination of great, oen opposing ideals that merge into something greater than the sum of its many parts. Just make sure, in this time of excitement, change, & opportunity, to not take on too many tasks at once. You are ready, willing, and able - but don’t push yourself so hard that you can’t enjoy this wild ride that is life.

NINE of LIGHT

Inspired by American Gothic by Grant Wood - Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA

Focal Points:

Defensiveness ◍ Loneliness in Success

You’ve recently been through a time of drastic change, from which you came out on top! Rejoice in this! But remember that your external changes have internal counterparts that you must take stock of. Has your abundance made you more charitable or more frugal? The Nine of Light warns you not to react to your own success with defense. We were inspired here by American Gothic, whose subjects in the original painting are guarding their home with a pitchfork, even though there doesn’t seem to be any danger afoot. Instead of defense, try to appreciate your standing in the world & be grateful. That’s all you need to do.

TEN of LIGHT

Inspired by The Floor Scrapers by Gustave Caillebotte - Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France

Focal Points:

Burden ◍ Completion ◍ Responsibility

You are at the end of a long journey. Be proud of each and every one of your accomplishments, but also be mindful that success can be as much of a burden as it is an achievement. Each token you’ve earned comes with the responsibility to carry & maintain it, as much for yourself as for those around you. Himself coming from a wealthy background, Caillebotte felt a duty to support the arts and his Impressionist friends. He used his riches to become a patron for Renior & company, giving a backseat to his own legacy as an artist & falling into obscurity until nearly sixty years aer his death. His wealth was his burden. But the Ten of Light encouragingly suggests the weight you carry may seem crushing at times, but you are absolutely capable of bearing it. It will either get lighter, or you will find strength within.

APPRENTICE of LIGHT

Inspired by The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough - Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, USA

Focal Points:

Self-Actualization ◍ Sincerity

It was once believed that to paint light in artwork was to paint warm colors, tones of reds, oranges, & yellows. Cool colors were meant for shadows or only sparingly in the light. The legend goes that Gainsborough, an Apprentice of Light in his own right, painted this portrait to refute such beliefs. Whether this is true or not, his Blue Boy, which inspired this card, now represents the urge of artists to curb convention and challenge the status quo. The Blue Boy himself does this, wearing the Rococo costume of a man, dressing how he wants to dress, sincere in himself, despite what he “ought” to do or wear. This is your charge. Trust what excites you and go for it, bucking at any traditions or rules that might otherwise give you doubt. If you move forward with earnest intentions to simply be yourself, nothing will stop you.

CRITIC of LIGHT

Inspired by Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Focal Points:

Passion ◍ Courage ◍ Enthusiasm

Filled with energy & driven by a fire within, you have never been more impassioned than you are right now. This is the type of fervor that quickens your breath, pounds your heart, & heightens your every emotion. Savor the superpower of feeling as intensely as you do now. To you, even the smallest instances may feel as life-or-death as the guilty verdict of Socrates. David’s painting of this moment in history inspired this card. But no matter, this only serves to fill you with more vitality! For what is this moment, what is every moment, but another chance to express yourself as passionately as possible. To live like this is a courageous act, and even in defeat you succeed. The good news is, unlike Socrates, defeat is not your destiny - victory is!

COLLECTOR of LIGHT

Inspired by The Wedding at Cana by Paolo Veronese - Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Focal Points:

Certainty ◍ Influence

“I am certain.” This is your mantra. Certainty is your strength. Yet certainty also requires the type of deep vulnerability that accompanies faith. If you truly, passionately have faith in yourself (which you should!) your certainty will transform you into a beacon. Your words will compel, your actions will be followed. In Veronese’s Wedding at Cana, which inspired this card, Christ is the certain focal point in a painting (the original of which has over one hundred individual characters). Veronese’s certainty in artistic technique mirrors Jesus’ certainty in his convictions - together choreographing control over what could have been chaos. In certainty, there is divine composition. Say it again, “I am certain.”

MASTER of LIGHT

Inspired by The Banjo Lesson by Henry Ossawa Tanner - Hampton University Museum, Virginia, USA

Focal Points:

Empathy ◍ Illumination ◍ Love

One of the first African American painters to gain fame in America & Europe, Tanner was a creative visionary - a Master of Light and shadow who boldly painted his Black community as he knew it to be, not cloaked in stereotypes or caricatures. For this card, we were particularly inspired by his Banjo Lesson scene - where it is almost as if Tanner himself is the grandfather, and we viewers are the grandson, being taught his truth. He asks us to observe, learn, then love his art, holding our hand all the while. Like Tanner & his surrogate subject, the Master of Light is a deeply empathetic leader who forges their own way in the world. Your high standards inspire more than they alienate, especially since you lead by example. You understand that to love is to illuminate, and to illuminate is to love. Shine bright and let the light in.

THE MINOR ARCANA:

COLOR

ACE of COLOR

Inspired by Impression, Sunrise by Claude Monet - Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris, France

Focal Points:

Beginnings ◍ Possibility

A new day is born! Each sunrise represents limitless possibilities. In Monet’s Impression Sunrise, which this card is based on, the medium becomes this message, itself ushering in a new day of fine art, spearheading the entire Impressionist movement. Now, you too are both medium and message. You possess an infinite palette within, and nothing stops you from utilizing every hue as you paint the blank canvas that is today and tomorrow. What you choose to create with all this untapped potential knows no bounds. It is in these moments that what you feel inside, channeled through your creativity and talent, can truly find its external form. When this happens neither you, nor the world around you, will ever be the same. So go forth, and make the world a little colorful!

TWO of COLOR

Inspired by Springtime by Pierre-Auguste Cot - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Focal Points:

Love ◍ Giving ◍ Accepting

The answer to many of life’s questions are solved in the beginning. As children, many of us experience love in the purest sense of the word, and we spend much of our lives seeking this feeling again. Cot’s romantic, fantastical reflection on first love reminds us that our cells store these sensations and memories. They are always within us, waiting to be accessed. On the horizon for you is a relationship or friendship of blissful, inherent cooperation that will make these wondrous memories live again. Mutual love and respect will be felt at the deepest level. Whatever struggles you may be going through, open your arms, and the friend that accepts your embrace will guide and support you through it. We knew this was the answer once as children, and it still is.

THREE of COLOR

Inspired by Primavera by Sandro Botticelli - Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Focal Points:

Belonging ◍ Ease ◍ Celebration

This is the only card in the whole deck where the painting of inspiration has been significantly cropped, as Botticelli’s Primavera tells many stories in one. But today it is time to focus on the Three Graces from the original painting, who inspired this card. Like these sisters - you too know the joy of having found your family, your community, your people. True belonging warms the soul and is one of the most just causes for celebration. Nothing else happening in your life, the world, or the rest of this painting, matters. All that matters is that you take the time to delight in the ease and bathe in the abundance that flows toward your collective.

FOUR of COLOR

Inspired by The Third-Class Carriage by Honoré Daumier - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Focal Points:

Restlessness ◍ Dissatisfaction

A sense of boredom & restlessness gnaws at you; the abundance you once sought, and may or may not have achieved, no longer fulfills you the same way. Daumier, a caricaturist who went largely unnoticed in his lifetime, fixated much of his career on the social and political issues of the day. His paintings, like the one that inspired this card, shed light on the struggles of the common people. His lack of color amplifies the inner resignation of his characters, something the artist surely felt himself as he slipped into debt while many of his friends achieved fortune. But Daumier shows us the way out of this doom loop in his work. Move. Travel. Change your scenery. Find inspiration in places you never think to look. Reflect. Zone out. But don’t stop moving forward. Otherwise your feelings of stuckness might just stick.

FIVE of COLOR

Inspired by At Eternity’s Gate by Vincent van Gogh - Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands

Focal Points:

Loss ◍ Pain ◍ Letting go

The reason van Gogh’s work inspired so many cards in this deck is because perhaps no other painter gave as equal weight in his brushstrokes to such a wide expanse of emotions. The tarot takes us through the whole range of the human experience, and so too does van Gogh. He allowed himself to feel so much, so intensely, and he understood that there were no “good” or “bad” emotions. This may be particularly hard for you to accept right now. This card indicates that this is a time of pain and grief for you. The world you knew is no more. Getting through this may be the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do. But your soul will become a far more colorful palette if you allow yourself to feel the full spectrum of what there is to feel. And this will allow you to release that in your life which no longer belongs.

SIX of COLOR

Inspired by After Bathing by Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida - Sorolla Museum, Madrid, Spain

Focal Points:

Happiness ◍ Nostalgia ◍ Inner-Child

Now is a good time for you! A time when you are both mother and child in Sorolla’s Aer Bathing, which inspired this card. As the child, you feel the joy and care of being in our mother’s arms aer a bath in the ocean. You are being toweled off and protected from the heat — sheltered and adored. As the mother, you are so in awe of the beauty of your creation and compelled to protect it. Remember that the happiness you are experiencing right now, as you enjoy every aspect of life in every conceivable way, will always be available to you as memories. Mentally capture as many of these moments as you can, just as Sorolla does. When the tides turn and things are not as nice, you will always have these beautiful reflections.

SEVEN of COLOR

Inspired by Street, Dresden by Ernst Kirchner - The Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA

Focal Points:

Excess ◍ Emotional Depletion

Your palette is full of colors - bright, vivid colors on every end of the spectrum. It is a gi to live so abundantly, but too many choices can oen destabilize or deplete. Kirchner was a German Expressionist who was perpetually haunted by World War I. In fact, the original painting that inspired this card was created just before the war, then reworked just aer the war. One gets the sense Kirchner’s mind was always racing, paralyzed by choices, never truly “finishing” the work. Perhaps his reflection is the girl painted in the center of the bustling street, unsure of where to go, unaware of an oncoming trolley behind her. If you are caught between many potential paths, you must trust your intuition, pick one, and don’t look back. Resist the temptation to stay in a dream, for it may turn into a nightmare.

EIGHT of COLOR

Inspired by The Gulf Stream by Winslow Homer Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Focal Points:

Change ◍ Soul-Searching

Change is afoot! A pessimist might look at this as a time of struggle or physical/spiritual upheaval - but not you. You know that without change, there is no movement. And without movement, all the energy that lives within you cannot flow. And flow you must! You are an explorer, and you know that soul-searching is the most epic of adventures. You are ready to embark on this adventure, if you haven’t already. Starting off as an illustrator during the American Civil War, Homer was no stranger to a rapidly changing world. Perhaps he believed if men could find balance with nature or within themselves - maybe they could find balance with each other. And so there is a paradoxical serenity to the turbulent scene which inspired this card. The serenity of both internal & external exploration that breed peace amidst chaos.

NINE of COLOR

Inspired by Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir -
The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.

Focal Points:

Joy ◍ Friendship ◍ Satisfaction

Now is the time to savor the very essence of being alive. You feel merriment as much as you spread & share it with those around you. You are surrounded by nothing but good company. You are truly satisfied in this, a state of being that far too few of us experience. Renoir’s personal accompaniment with fellow Impressionists (many of whom modeled for the original painting that inspired this card) brought him good friends and fortune. One could imagine Renior trying to bottle his own happiness on canvas. And he succeeded! A rainbow of colors bathed in light, he immortalizes the feeling of pure joy. Your own feelings of joy may be more ephemeral, but that doesn’t make them any less welcome. Enjoy every second of these good times while they last.

TEN of COLOR

Inspired by The Vina Player by Amrita Sher-Gil, Unknown Location

Focal Points:

Fulfillment ◍ Manifestation ◍ Family

Similar to the Nine of Light, the Ten of Light asks of you appreciation for the joys you have accumulated. You have embraced your passions and have deployed the courage it takes to let love into your heart. Now, your journey of inner fulfillment may feel complete. Your desires have manifested. And you are here across the finish line. Amrita Sher-Gil was a European-born painter who spent much of her short life retracing her ancestral roots in India. Her greatest works, one of which inspired this card, were created in this era of cultural rediscovery, where her life was filled with friends, lovers, & family. The colors of her composition are enriched with the palettes of her home. She found her place, and so have you. This is a place of prolonged security & inspiration. These good times for you will last! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

APPRENTICE of COLOR

Inspired by Cherry Tree by Berthe Morisot - Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris, France

Focal Points:

Joy ◍ Friendship ◍ Satisfaction

Inspired here by Morisot’s Cherry Tree - this card asks you to find the profound in the deceptively mundane. The good news is that you are apt to take on this challenge. The Apprentice of Color is a dreamer! Guided by your imagination, you can find a whole universe in a grain of sand, or a full forest in a cherry tree. Your youthful energy takes center stage as you move through the world with child-like awe. Every experience is an opportunity to discover not just new colors of the physical world, but to discover new colors of emotions. What an opportunity to once again experience life as a child, as if it’s your first time to do anything and everything! So, dream on - there’s no saying it’s not all going to come true.

CRITIC of COLOR

Inspired by Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer - Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands

Focal Points:

Attraction ◍ Magnetism ◍ Passion

Vermeer’s most famous work is notably absent of several classic ‘Vermeer-isms’, such as his use of perspective and light-filled spatial environments (here replaced with a simple background). But perhaps that is why we are so drawn to his Girl with a Pearl Earring - and why she inspired this card. Vermeer relinquishes all his power to his subject. As a Critic of Color, you do the same. Your passion presents itself in the palpable magnetism of pure attraction. The mystery of truly knowing another titillates you. The vulnerability of being known yourself is a risk you’re eager to take. You are lucky to feel this passionately about another! If you are even luckier still to have these feelings reciprocated, relish in the opportunity to connect on a deeper level.

COLLECTOR of COLOR

Inspired by Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I by Gustav Klimt - Neue Galerie, NY, USA

Focal Points:

Empathy ◍ Warmth ◍ Compassion

The Collector of Color’s natural essence makes those around her feel seen, which is why we took inspiration from Klimt’s Portrait of Adele - whose gaze seems to effortlessly penetrate the viewer. But your gi of sight exists even beyond the visual realm. Your deep, true empathy borders on a type of clairvoyance. This is a gi that makes the world a better place, but be sure not to lose yourself in the process. No need to dissolve into your own background, as Adele nearly does here. As a collector, you contain many colors. Don’t forget that one of these colors is gold. This is your worth. You are gold. So treat yourself with the same compassion and warmth you offer freely to others. You deserve it, and it will only help you nurture those around you when you take care of yourself as well.

MASTER of COLOR

Inspired by Portrait of Joseph Roulin by Vincent van Gogh - Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands

Focal Points:

Patience ◍ Generosity ◍ Decency

An eternal outcast, van Gogh had few friends in this life. But Joseph Roulin, the local postman in Arles, undyingly supported van Gogh’s art and provided support & companionship through the troubled artist’s highest peaks and lowest valleys. For this gi of friendship, van Gogh imbues in his portraits of Roulin (which inspired this card) the warm heart and generous spirit of a truly good person. This is you, the Master of Color. You are deeply empathetic and patient. Your sensitivity is your greatest strength. You respect & love all living things, and so you are well loved in return. This is a great way to be! But if you ever feel foggy or unsure of your intuition, just ask yourself, “What is the right thing to do?” Your internal moral compass has not steered you wrong yet, and it’s not about it.

THE MINOR ARCANA:

PERSPECTIVE

ACE of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by The Astronomer by Johannes Vermeer - Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Focal Points:

Inspiration ◍ Intellect ◍ Clarity

In Vermeer’s The Astronomer painting, which inspired this card, - we see mankind taking on God’s perspective of Earth. The Astronomer views Earth not from the ground, but from space, from above, where he can understand its place in the Universe at large. This is the way of the Ace of Perspective. This is your way. Your zoomed-out perspective allows you to operate at a level where the granular minutia is as clear to you as the big, universe-sized picture. In short, your perspective...has been perfected. How to use this for your path ahead? Trust your intellect which has given you this awesome vantage point. Soon, what only exists in your head, through your eyes, will be just as clear and as real to the rest of us, too.

TWO of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by Paris Street; Rainy Day by Gustave Caillebotte - Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA

Focal Points:

Crossroads ◍ Indecision

Here we were inspired by Caillebotte’s infamous use of two-point perspective, which consumes the entire le hemisphere of his canvas, almost as if it’s pushing the main figures out of their own painting. This is how it can feel for the Two of Perspective, for you, who may be facing a major, seemingly impossible, decision. Perhaps you don’t want to decide because both options could bring pain, or perhaps because both options will bring pleasure & you don’t want to write one out. But hiding under your umbrella, walking away from your two potential paths, this will only prolong your struggle. Living like this can gnaw at your very soul. But the act of simply deciding, even if it’s the wrong choice, can bring closure, and thus clarity, which is the first step toward inner peace. So take a deep breath...and decide.

THREE of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Focal Points:

Doubt ◍ Anxiety ◍ Loss of Control

The Great Wave, which inspired our card, is actually part of a series of thirty-six woodblocks whose central focus was Mt. Fuji, here pictured as but a minor molehill in the background. Like Hokusai’s masterpiece, you are in a period of shiing perspective - born out of pain or heartbreak. What you once focussed on, what was once as sturdy as a mountain, will be forsaken by waves of doubt & anxiety. You will be tested & challenged, but you will get through it. Just learn from the oshiokuri-bune boaters, who dare not challenge the wave nor outrun it. They accept their fate, and ride the wave. You must do the same. Accept, meditate, and find ease in the tumult. Your waves of worry may someday be reborn as a peaceful, fantastical night sky, as happened with van Gogh’s Starry Night (See: “The Star” in the Major Arcana).

FOUR of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by Nighthawks by Edward Hopper - Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA

Focal Points:

Contemplation ◍ Self-Reflection

Edward Hopper is best known for his relatively detached scenes of New York, the subjects of whom are oen as distant from one another as they are to us, the viewers. But in his most famous work, Nighthawks, which inspired this card - there is almost a sense of comfort, an eerie serenity, in the distance. As the Four of Perspective teaches us, there are moments in life where you must enter the fray, stake your claim, and fight. But this is not one of those moments. There is solace & wisdom in quiet contemplation & self reflection. Now is the time to indulge in these behaviors. It will serve you twenty-fold going forward, just as it always served Hopper.

FIVE of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by The Dance Lesson by Edgar Degas - National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., USA

Focal Points:

Confronting Yourself ◍ Inner Demons

Fear of failure prevents so many of us from doing so much. You, however, are someone who perseveres through this fear & actually tries. This is admirable! But unfortunately it will inevitably lead to a failure at some point or another. In the fields of art, this may seem particularly unfair, especially as you watch others around you succeed. Try not to succumb to the easier reactions of jealousy & blaming. This does not serve anyone. This is a card that asks strength of you: strength to deny your inner demons. Degas himself had plenty of demons, many of which have sparked a reexamining of his legacy. Take this time to reexamine your own legacy, your own internal monologues & external actions. It is only by facing your shortcomings head on, both internal & external, that you can truly be free to move on & succeed.

SIX of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by Irises by Vincent van Gogh - Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, USA

Focal Points:

Insight ◍ New Perspectives ◍ Hope

You are emerging from a period of struggle & darkness, but you followed your heart & held onto hope, and now that hope is being realized. We took inspiration here from van Gogh’s Irises, where one could see a notably more positive perspective as the artist was leaving his hospitalization, compared to his drearier Sunflowers (See: “Death” in the Major Arcana), which he painted just before. And yet - the buoyant beauty of the irises seems... fragile. You, like van Gogh, can find beauty in the deceptively mundane because you understand all too well the delicacy and vulnerability of these small sparks of hope. But if you truly savor every instant, you will see the world through sunnier eyes, & these feelings will last longer and stay clearer. Your path ahead is only as positive as the perspective you see it from.

SEVEN of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci - Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy

Focal Points:

Betrayal ◍ Disillusionment

To be the recipient of betrayal is oen as confusing as it is hurtful. Leonardo’s infamous Last Supper, which inspired this card, depicts the moment when that confusion & hurt boils into anger - and the scene he composed has stood the test of time (despite constant failed conservation attempts) precisely because of how universally human the reactions around the table are. There is shock, denial, grief, blame. These emotions oen arise when established beliefs & world views, or relied-upon-trusts, collapse. But in the end, you must believe that you can never be less wise by knowing more truths. This perspective shi - appreciating the illumination that comes from disillusionment - is your north star. Follow it, and you will find truth and peace.

EIGHT of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 by James McNeill Whistler - Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France

Focal Points:

Paralyzation ◍ Stuck ◍ Lost Agency

Stiff, stuck, stagnant - paralyzed by fear, indecision, & strokes of bad luck. You may feel so out of step with the universe that your only answer is to freeze. Like escaping a predator, you may try to sit so still that the forces of bad luck will simply pass over you. Commonly known as ‘Whistler’s Mother’ - Whistler’s Arrangement, which inspired our card, is deliberately treated as a still life - and yet, even so, the subject has not lost her agency. She manages to still convey grief, sorrow, & longing while being treated as nothing more than an extension of the chair on which she sits. You too can create your own agency. The path forward may not seem obvious, but you may already be looking in that direction. Asking a little help from your friends, or your observers, to reclaim your identity might not be a bad idea, either :)

NINE of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by The Opening of the Fih Seal (The Vision of St. John) by El Greco - Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, USA

Focal Points:

Agony ◍ Anxiety ◍ Responsibility

One could imagine the self doubt El Greco felt, a foreigner in both nationality and painterly style amongst his classical contemporaries of the Spanish & Italian Renaissances. Centuries before Expressionism, El Greco practically wrote the Expressionist manifesto - painting pure, unadulterated emotion - in the case of Saint John’s Vision which inspired this card: fear, panic, regret. You too may be kept up at night with these feelings that are best described through art, not words. But all is not lost. Take solace in your current comforts. Remember that spiraling thoughts take you further from the salvation in the center. That is where you should aim to go. Quiet your mind as much as you can. Take responsibility for your past, then let it go. This will bring you the peace you seek.

TEN of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by The Death of Marat by Jacques-Louis David - Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Brussels, Belgium

Focal Points:

New Chapters ◍ Defeat ◍ Rebirth

Betrayal has followed you, much as it did Jean-Paul Marat, a French Revolutionist who was deceived & assassinated in his own home. You may feel similarly wronged - a victim of abuse or mistruths that have led you to the end of a negative path. But that, there, is the key. You are at the end of your struggles. David, who painted the original work upon which this card is based, knew this. Which is why he depicted Marat at peace. This card does not imply or predict literal death. Rather, it reminds us that closing one chapter allows us to freely leap forward into the next. What has happened, has happened. It may be wrong, but it is now in the past and we must focus on the present. It is up to you to find acceptance so you can move onto the next chapter of your life in a state of blissful rebirth.

APPRENTICE of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by Las Meninas by Diego Velázquez - Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

Focal Points:

Wit ◍ Fun ◍ Youthful Freedom

Your superpower is that you have yet to be jaded by the realities of the world, so you bravely bring levity to a stage that others regard with solemn responsibility. Look closer at this card, inspired by Velázquez’s ridiculous masterpiece, to see what fun can accompany excellence. What begins as a portrait of a princess...becomes a portrait of himself painting the portrait, with hidden figures in mirrors, and the back of the canvas itself featured on the canvas. The paradoxes & impossibilities delight more than they confuse. Because behind it all is Velázquez’s unadulterated brilliance. Embody this energy, for the world needs more people so gied in their cra that they can juggle other absurdities while executing it. Continue to refine your abilities, sure, but don’t lose this youthful spark that makes you so fun.

CRITIC of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by Lozenge Composition with Yellow, Black, Blue, Red, and Gray by Piet Mondrian - Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA

Focal Points:

Confidence ◍ Rebellion ◍ Conviction

Powered by pure conviction, Mondrian built upon his predecessors to deconstruct the very idea of representation - instead pursuing “universal beauty” through abstraction. The resulting grid-based paintings, one of which inspired this card, seem inevitable now - but they seemed truly unthinkable in his time. Like Mondrian, your itch for rebellion will result in tectonic shis – if you make use of it. Right now, you may feel unstoppable. But brimming with this type of confidence can oen be fleeting - so you must make your mark while the iron is hot. Buck at tradition. Embrace abstraction. Hang your canvas on a diagonal. But do it now. Those around you will thank you for adding new ingredients to their lives, even if their palette isn’t quite ready for all you have to offer yet.

COLLECTOR of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by A Bar at the Folies-Bergère by Édouard Manet - Courtauld Gallery, London, UK

Focal Points:

Self Assurance ◍ Boundaries ◍ Respect

You have achieved a critical level of living, where the only perspective & opinion that matters to you is your own. Like Manet’s bartender, you feel no need to fake pleasantries that do not feel authentic. You no longer feel the ceaseless need to please others. Clear boundaries (here represented by the physical bar) will aid you in staying true to this way of being. Manet’s interior bar scene, which inspired this card, is abnormal for an artist so consumed with natural light, and it offers a fun little perspective ‘mystery’. The man present in the mirror does not seem to exist in front of our bartender. Perhaps the bartender can see through that which she does not want to engage with. Perhaps, you can now do the same.

MASTER of PERSPECTIVE

Inspired by The School of Athens by Raphael - Vatican Museums, Vatican City

Focal Points:

Mental Strength ◍ Spiritual Strength

Many times in this deck, the core lesson of the cards is to trust your gut or your heart. But as the Master of Perspective, you are implored to trust your mind. A scene of dozens of great philosophers & scientists, Raphael’s masterpiece, which inspired this card, is as much about its subjects as it is about its own achievement. In its perfect composure of perspective projection, it is the embodiment of the Renaissance - the great rebirth - a belief that seeking knowledge in the arts & sciences will bring mental & spiritual strength that can solve earthly dilemmas. Discipline your mind in the ways of logic & reason, and the labyrinths of self-doubt & anxiety will seem surprisingly simple to navigate. Use your own mental & spiritual strength to materialize the essence of the Renaissance, in your life & beyond.

THE MINOR ARCANA:

FORM

ACE of FORM

Inspired by The Basket of Apples by Paul Cézanne - Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA

Focal Points:

Possibility ◍ Creation

Your table overfloweth with fruit, the seeds of which you may have planted long ago. But now is not the time to simply sit and observe your fruit, just as it was not Cézanne’s time to paint ordinary still lives of fruit. We were inspired here by his Basket of Apples, where the table tilts towards us, the viewer, and yet the fruits do not fall off. By abandoning traditional rules of how forms behave on their planes, Cézanne paved the way for cubism - and in the process brought his still lives to, well, life! You are ready to do the same. Be prepared to use the physical, tangible fortunes that will be coming your way to create something new - even if it seems challenging at first. It might take tilting your plane, but as the Ace of Form, what you seek will bear form in surprising, abundant, and long-lasting ways.

TWO of FORM

Inspired by Tahitian Women on the Beach by Paul Gauguin - Musée d’Orsay, Paris, France

Focal Points:

Change ◍ Dualities ◍ Letting Go

Forsaking the conventional European ‘art world,’ Gauguin le for Tahiti where he painted until his death, producing there his most famous and lasting works. You, too, are ready to make a change in your life, and you can do it with the confidence that success will follow. You may feel torn between dichotomies - work vs. life, friends vs. family, the Paris Salon vs. the unknown of Polynesia. The subjects in Gauguin’s work that inspired this card represent a similar struggle: one remains clothed in traditional garb while the other wears the dress of a European colonizer. The polar pulls burden these girls (as do the grave implications of their settlers). Change is terrifying, and it is oen unfair. What can you do to find balance & harmony, with the vast changes and dueling choices afoot?

THREE of FORM

Inspired by Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck - National Gallery, London, UK

Focal Points:

Success ◍ Patience ◍ Deliberation

Here we were inspired by the Arnolfini Portrait, which, at the time of its creation, was considered the epitome of perfection. It provided a blueprint to paint light, perspective, & form as accurately as had ever been done. The Three of Form encourages you to create with this same level of ambition. You are on the precipice of a great achievement; your years of refining your cra are about to come to fruition. But just as van Eyck painstakingly craed the original painting under a magnifying glass to portray every detail with exacting accuracy (including his own reflection in the convex mirror in the background), you too must exercise patience & control. Take your time. Your project should align your body, mind, and spirit. If it does, it will be as lasting as the Arnolfini’s marriage, or even van Eyck’s portrait of said marriage.

FOUR of FORM

Inspired by Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci - Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Focal Points:

Reclusion ◍ Loneliness in Success

Abundance has flowed to you lately, and you have achieved a pinnacle of success in either your relationships, your creative projects, or your work. But as Leonardo da Vinci never gave his most infamous portrait to the family that commissioned it (instead keeping it on his person, even through exile to France, & bequeathing it only to his apprentice upon his death), you too may have the tendency to hold on too tightly to your own successes. You have worked hard to achieve what you have, now relish in it. Do not conserve your smile as Mona Lisa does. Smile from ear to ear. Celebrate & treat yourself. The world would be a different place without Mona Lisa. Don’t withhold your own masterpiece from the world & those around you.

FIVE of FORM

Inspired by The Card Players by Paul Cézanne - Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Focal Points:

Misfortune ◍ Take a Beat ◍ Restraint

In many ways, life is like a game of cards. At times, the Universe deals you a winning hand. But sometimes, luck is not on your side. Here we were inspired by Cézanne’s Card Players, where the artist forgoes conventional portraiture and scenework, instead painting his subjects more like human still lives. They feel stuck, as you too may be feeling right now. But the Universe is in a constant state of flow, and any misfortunes you may be enduring at the present are only temporary. It will pass. Until it does, the man in the background is our guide. Now is a good time to stay out of the fray. Don’t rush to any big decisions, and practice restraint before joining the games of your life. Luck will soon flow back towards you, at which point you can get back to the game.

SIX of FORM

Inspired by The Child’s Bath by Mary Cassatt - Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA

Focal Points:

Internal Peace ◍ External Charity

Like a child, you feel the peaks of joy & the depths of pain all in the present moment. This is a gi! That has resulted in a special type of inner peace & clarity, and has made you a deeply empathetic, nurturing figure. It has also opened you up to receive abundance. And that you will surely receive! Good fortunes are on their way, so be prepared to be taken care of by the Universe, as a mother would take care of her child. This may present itself in the form of material success like money, but know that your real gis will continue to be internal. Mary Cassatt reminds us that the whole of the human experience can be found not far from home. Find inner peace and charity in your own life, in your own self, and it is that which you will receive in return.

SEVEN of FORM

Inspired by The Dog by Francisco Goya - Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain

Focal Points:

Exhaustion ◍ Doubt ◍ Endurance

Later in his life, Goya, disillusioned by war & political upheaval and tormented by depression, abandoned life as a successful Court painter to self-isolate. In exile, he painted what was later known as his ‘Black Years’ works. We were inspired by one such work, The Dog, because it is an outward expression of what he was surely feeling within, and what you too may be feeling right now. Climbing an endless staircase, you may feel depleted by doubt that you’ll ever make it to the top. But you will. Living life on an empty physical/spiritual tank can test the limits of your very soul. But if you keep your intentions pure, hold your head high, & keep moving forward - as would an unrelentingly loyal dog returning to her owner - you will get there. Just because success may be far off, it does not mean it isn’t worth the wait.

EIGHT of FORM

Inspired by The Stonebreakers by Gustave Courbet - Destroyed during World War II

Focal Points:

Diligence ◍ Hard Work ◍ Creation

Like a railroad stonebreaker, you are diligent & unrelenting in your work. Your slow but steady ethic has callused your body & mind. But this, aerall, is what it means to be human. In 1848, Courbet balked at conventional romanticism or court paintings, choosing instead to paint ‘real’ people performing real work. As such, he created Realism, giving birth to Modern Art as we know it. For this, he was ostracized. His Stonebreakers, which inspired this card, was even destroyed during World War II. And yet, its legacy survives as inspiration for nearly every piece of art created in the 200 years since its creation. The painstaking practice you have put into your cra will allow you too to achieve such a legacy. But it is only by keeping grounded, by staying real to yourself, that you will achieve these ambitions.

NINE of FORM

Inspired by Venus of Urbino by Titian - Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy

Focal Points:

Abundance ◍ Shamelessness ◍ Luxury

Everyone in life is on a different timeline, and for you, right now is your time to shine. Life might not always be fair, but that means you can, in these moments, unfairly enjoy some unearned success & pleasures. It is okay! You are encouraged to receive the abundance that flows your way. Life itself is a gi, and these additional treasures are a reminder of that fact. Here, we were inspired by Titian’s bold (and controversial at the time) Venus - who stares directly at us, the viewers. Relaxed, wealthy, & pampered - she feels no shame for her good fortunes. And right now, neither should you.

TEN of FORM

Inspired by Salome by Henri Regnault - Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, USA

Focal Points:

Pride ◍ Confidence ◍ Mindfulness

You are in a time of revelry! Perhaps you finally made a big purchase, and you didn’t even consult your budget. You may even feel above the concept of karmic balance - as if you could indulge in yourself without charity and the universe will continue to reward you. In Regnault’s original painting which inspired this card, his subject Salome seems to feel the same. She is depicted with unabashed pride & confidence despite her more typical depiction as a villain of the St. John the Baptist story. The Ten of Form reminds you that it’s okay to be proud of, and revel in, your riches even if you don’t always live up to your own moral code. Be proud, but be mindful. If you feel you haven’t yet earned what you’ve reaped, you can always pay it backward. The mission: live up to the life you’ve received, and you’ll find abundance inside as well as out.

APPRENTICE of FORM

Inspired by The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp by Rembrandt van Rijn - Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands

Focal Points:

Passion ◍ Practice ◍ Perseverance

Your passion is your superpower. The best thing you can do for yourself is find a teacher, someone even more practiced in your field, who will show you the way to put this passion into practice. Excitement will serve you well, but you must actually put in the hours to grow from being an apprentice into being a leader in your own right. We were inspired here by Rembrandt - who himself truly put in the work. A remarkably prolific artist (with over three hundred paintings and two thousand drawings to his name), his obsession with art never ceased. Follow his lead, and stop yourself from losing the excitement you now feel, even if things become more challenging than you first daydreamed. Aerall, what is talent but the desire to learn and the dedication to practice?

CRITIC of FORM

Inspired by Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear by Vincent van Gogh - Courtauld Gallery, London, UK

Focal Points:

Success ◍ For the Love of It

We were inspired many times by van Gogh in this deck, but only once as a self portrait. As the Critic of Form, you are both van Gogh the artist and van Gogh the subject. You are a knowledgeable and gied steward of your cra, but you are not yet appreciated enough (in your own time) to be considered a master. However, this does not discourage you. You are beyond the concerns of Earthly success, and it is for this precise reason that you may yet achieve it. As you abandon the need for reward, you succumb to the practice of the art itself. You are in it to be in it, because you could not imagine – you could not live – doing anything but what you love. And it is those types of people – people like van Gogh – people like you, that truly become great. Even if they are not around to see or hear when this happens.

COLLECTOR of FORM

Inspired by Bowl of Goldfish by Childe Hassam - David Owsley Museum of Art, Muncie, USA

Focal Points:

Self Reflection ◍ Inner Truths

Hassam learned from the French Impressionists before bringing their techniques back to the United States, where the local art community was not ready to accept them. But Hassam stayed true to himself. Decades later, aer steadfastly committing to his style, Impressionism finally took hold in the States and Hassam proved to be a national treasure. As with Hassam, you must stick to your truth even if it means being alone. In fact, this time, alone might even end up being something you truly value. As the Collector of Form, you have created for yourself a physical sanctuary, but you have also elevated yourself beyond the common concerns of the earthly realm. You know that your sanctuary is only so valuable because it allows you time to be with your own thoughts. And it is this peaceful time which you cherish the most.

MASTER of FORM

Inspired by Vertumnus by Giuseppe Arcimboldo - Skokloster Castle, Håbo Municipality, Sweden

Focal Points:

Levity ◍ Humble Leadership

While you were once a student, you are now an expert in your chosen field. To some, this title & the responsibility that comes with it might be a burden. But not to you! Arcimboldo worked his way to become a renowned court painter, a master of classical portraiture in the height of the Renaissance. What did he do with this acclaim? He delighted himself, and others, with amusing portraits made of fruits and vegetables - one of which inspired this card. He had fun, while maintaining full control of his cra & expanding the popular reach of Mannerism. And this, more than anything, has become his legacy. You’ve done the hard part. You’re in charge of your destiny now. Use your skills & knowledge to better yourself & the world around you – this is imperative. But just remember to smile & have a little fun while you’re at it. Otherwise, what was it all for?

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Tarot on Canvas Guidebook

Jump to Section

INTRO

About this Deck

Getting Started / Spreads

Orientation of Cards

MAJOR
ARCANA

LIGHT

Minor Arcana:

COLOR

Minor Arcana:

PERSPECTIVE

Minor Arcana:

FORM

Minor Arcana:

Introduction & How-To Use the Deck

INTRODUCTION

THE DECK

GETTING STARTED

"The Impressionist"
(One-Card) Spread

"The Renaissance"
(Three-Card) Spread

"The Kelly Cross"
(Ten-Card) Spread

A QUICK NOTE ON ORIENTATION

THE MAJOR ARCANA

THE MINOR ARCANA:

LIGHT

THE MINOR ARCANA:

COLOR

THE MINOR ARCANA:

PERSPECTIVE

THE MINOR ARCANA:

FORM

Tarot on Canvas

Tarot on Canvas Guidebook

Jump to Section

INTRO

​About this Deck

Getting Started / Spreads

Orientation of Cards

MAJOR ARCANA

LIGHT

Minor Arcana:

COLOR

Minor Arcana:

PERSPECTIVE

Minor Arcana:

FORM

Minor Arcana:

Introduction & How-To Use the Deck

INTRODUCTION

THE DECK

GETTING STARTED

"The Impressionist" (One-Card) Spread

"The Renaissance" (Three-Card) Spread

"The Kelly Cross" (Ten-Card) Spread

A QUICK NOTE ON ORIENTATION

THE MAJOR ARCANA

THE MINOR ARCANA:

LIGHT

THE MINOR ARCANA:

COLOR

THE MINOR ARCANA:

PERSPECTIVE

THE MINOR ARCANA:

FORM

Tarot on Canvas

About this Deck

MAJOR
ARCANA

"The Impressionist"
(One-Card) Spread

"The Renaissance"
(Three-Card) Spread

"The Kelly Cross"
(Ten-Card) Spread