As the winter solstice comes closer, evenings grow shorter. This is not something I like: I am a sun

As the winter solstice comes closer, evenings grow shorter. This is not something I like: I am a sun-driven person, and artificial lights just don’t cut it for me. To balance this out, I tend to work with bright decks on winter evenings. The Painted Tarot by Sophie Mckay Knight is one of those, a companion that, despite having a quiet and serene nature, bursts with colours and supportive energy.For Sophie, painting the tarot was “the proverbial Fool’s journey” in itself. She painted each card as a large original piece over a period of 2 years, and some other projects she was working on during the creation phase were incorporated, particularly her work with scientists and professional dancers. As a result, we get a deck that is equal parts movement and stillness, and as you will see from the pictures below, it also makes for great eye candy.The main structural influence for the deck is the RWS. For her, some cards were very easy (like the Empress or Temperance), while others took longer (like the Hermit and the Tower). One of my personal favs, if not my absolute favourite card in the deck, is the Hanged Man. It is so peaceful and pretty, and balances the colour play in this deck in just a single card. As you will see, some cards have more white space, others are filled to the brim with colour. Some are rich and saturated, while others are muted. I want to highlight here that all four Kings are made to be in black and white, an interesting artistic choice for the culmination of each suit.She did not stick to traditional gender or age norms. This is radically important in a radically character-based like this one. In some cards, you can’t actually discern traditionally female figures from male ones, which makes it open and free. As well as the 78 cards, it features a custom tuck box and a 6 page leaflet, which explains a little bit about the cards and process of creation. No companion guide is included, but Sophie has uploaded printable meanings to her site. The card back design is a photo of her dripped onstudio floor, which completes the painted nature of the deck. She also included five postcards that will decorate my reading space!The Painted Tarot is a deep reflection of spirit and an endorsement to appreciate beauty. The stillness of its figures conceal an inner movement, like a quiet song to hum along. The colour play and the saturated palette with white (and b&w) elements are sight to sore eyes, and a wonderful companion for dark evenings. In the characters you can find people you know, people from tales you’ve heard, people you’re yet to know: it’s a very human deck, great for exploring connection. If you like what you’ve read so far, head over Sophie’s site to know more about the deck! -- source link

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