Wednesday, August 10, 2011

A Little Introduction to the Fellowship of the Fool and Me!


I have long wanted to create a Tarot deck, and have begun this project several times! I found that working with close friends and family as my models made the project much easier to complete and enjoy. People were more than willing to pose for me, and often brought new and exciting ideas to the table. The images you will see in the deck are part of this project, one that has added mirth, magic, and joy to my life.

The Fellowship of the Fool in particular is very much a reflection of my life and the worlds I travel through. Here are members of the Delaware Valley Pagan community, the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel, family members, students, and colleagues. I live in a very multicultural world and I wanted my deck to reflect that as well as the magick that inhabits my daily life. 

I also wanted to create a deck that was reflective of America in the 21st century, which is why my Court cards do not bear courtly names. Instead, I used names found in magickal circles: Apprentice for Page, Journeyman for Knight, Master for Queen, and Adept for King. I also felt that people of any gender could be represented in these roles. I am not Christian, and so the Devil card became Servitude, as I think that is a truer representation of the meaning of that card. 


 Inspiration for my work comes from many different places, but mostly, it comes from the worlds within myself. The figures that I paint come to me in many different forms. Sometimes, I feel as though the subjects of my paintings are beings from elsewhere who wish to be heard in this world. I am their channel for communication.

The Realm of Faerie has always been of interest to me since childhood. As a child, I was surrounded by the images of Howard Pyle and the Pre-Raphaelites. Living near the Delaware Art Museum, I was exposed at an early age to the great American Illustrators. I read Howard Pyle’s Tales of King Arthur  over and over again. Later, I discovered the fantasy of C. S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.  While I was a teenager, my mother gave me Brian Froud’s Faeries one Christmas. His work inspired me to continue painting and to continue following my dreams.  
   Art, music and literature have long been an active part of my life, and frequently have provided me with inspiration. I have long admired the Pre-Raphaelites of 19th century England, who were rebelling against the ugliness of the Industrial Age. Sometimes I feel as though I am rebelling against the coldness of the Information Age. Music and literature that speak to me of other times and other places fuel my imagination, and can send my work into those other realms. 

I look forward to presenting the Fellowship of the Fool deck officially at the Delmarva Pagan Festival, coming up on August 28th. I hope to see some of you there!

No comments:

Post a Comment