TY - GEN T1 - [6] Death AU - Fairbanks, Brianna KW - digital KW - Tarot KW - cards KW - painting DA - 2019-10-1 PY - 2024 N1 -

Artist Statement:

Like many others, I had always believed Tarot cards to be some forbidden, occult ritual items used for divination or contacting demons. But the Tarot is nothing of the sort. These cards are an opportunity for introspection-to reflect on one's mind, one's spirit, and one's present. It's very personal and very meditative. These cards are not psychic and will not predict your future. They are not satanic or evil. They will not give you the answers, because you already have the answers within. The cards will simply hold up a mirror and reveal the answers to you, whether you're ready to face them or not.

Anyone can learn to read the Tarot because each card represents a piece of the universal human experience-heartbreak, triumph, confusion, peace, etc. These concepts transcend all borders and time itself. Interpreting the images on the numerous cards has been a long tradition of the card reader throughout history. Interpretation is, in and of itself, a sort of art form. There are so many tarot decks out there, each with its own interpretation of the same classical imagery.

And, handmade tarot cards have been a tradition throughout history. A reader must be well acquainted with the meaning of each card-they must establish a connection. Spending the time learning each meaning, and especially to draw and paint each image, bonds the reader to their cards. The more personal the cards are, the clearer a reading becomes. My deck is my own personal interpretation. These images are what came to mind when I learned the card's meanings. I took my dreams--characters from imagination, my relationships-failed and thriving, along with my struggles - depression, suicidal ideation, an eating disorder, and anxiety-and applied them to these age-old symbols, making them imagery that someone with a modem perspective would recognize.

When performing a reading, each image and meaning should evoke a memory, a feeling, or an experience. These will change from person to person. I encourage my viewers to establish a connection with my deck. Pick up, shuffle, and read my cards, unlock their inner mirror and reflect on their own lives.

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