Last summer I wrote about Ricardo Olvera’s Bone Tarot art show in Reno, Nevada.
To construct his sculptural deck, Olvera assembled animal bones and other found objects to create twenty-two Major Arcana pieces. The result was spectacular.
And though the use of bones brings death to the fore in this series, each piece is very much alive, and clearly inspired by the Tarot.
I’d hoped that maybe Olvera would decide to print a deck from his sculptures, but apparently that’s not to be.
Almost as good though is the book he’s put together cataloging the show. It’s absolutely gorgeous – beautiful photos, fabulous layout. Each piece really shines.
You can see the whole book on-line for yourself. Take a look, and maybe even order one. It’s definitely on my wish list.
Los Angeles illustrator Ivan Minsloff and I have been working on a Tarot deck for quite some time now. We still have a ways to go, but in the process we decided to bring some of the cards to life even before the whole deck is complete.
Oddly enough, it’s not the Fool, or even the Magician who showed up first, but the Hermit, #9.
Our Hermit is a city dweller, wearing a trench coat and hoody. He’s been around a long time and knows well the soul of the city.
In one hand he carries a six-pointed star representing the occult mysteries that guide his way. And in the other he holds a staff. It’s both his wand and his cane.
I can barely wait to see him as part of the whole deck, but for now the Hermit is available as a 15 X 25 inch silk-screen limited edition poster print, signed and numbered by the artist. There are only 50 prints in the series.
If you’d like one for yourself, please let me know. Each print is $30 (CAD) plus $10 shipping. Payment can be made through PayPal.
If you’re someone who enjoys devilish art, especially in the form of pack of oversized cards, this Kickstarter project by Ariana Osborne might be just the thing for you.
Demons like Abraxas and Cerberus, Bael and Alastor. Very magical, and despite their grusomeness, quite beautiful.
Not only is she making an absolutely gorgeous deck, Osborne’s also put together a PDF featuring all the cards and a more detailed description of each demon.
Take a look at the video below to hear what the artist herself has to say about her project, and visit her Kickstarter page to see the gifts she’s offering to those who donate.
She’s already raised at least five times what she was looking for, so the Cartes Infernals is definitely going forward. It’s not too late though, to get in on the action yourself.
Tonight on Beyond Worlds we have the surprise return of Robert M. Place! He was just with us a couple of weeks ago talking about alchemy, but there wasn’t nearly enough time to learn all we wanted to.
One rare piece after another, the Walters Art Museum has been putting its incredible collection of medieval manuscripts and artwork on-line for the world to enjoy.
Not only can you now see much of the collection without having to take a trip to Maryland, you can download the images for free and do with them what you may.
For instance … make a Tarot deck using stunning medieval art!
With just a few clicks I came across an early 15th C image of the four evangelists by Dirc Van Delft. It’s calling me to make it a Wheel of Fortune or World card.
And look at this alabaster sculpture of Christ’s Resurrection, a clear depiction of Judgment.
If you like photo decks and are interested in supporting the creation of one or two new ones, Kickstarter has a couple of projects going on right now that you might like.
Michelle Kelly has created 22 Major Arcana cards for her new deck which she describes as a ‘Journey on the Evolution of Becoming.”
The cards are stunning photo montage images, dreamy and very real at the same time.
Also creating a new deck is Robert Scott from New York City. He’s working on The Urban Tarot, which features Tarot archetypes as they’re found in the city environment.
Both decks look like they’re going to be really nice. I hope the artists are able to raise the funding they’re looking for.
If you’d like to know more, and to see some of the cards, visit their Kickstarter pages, and/or watch the videos below.
