Tarot Inspired
My decades long interest in Tarot is what lead me to the printmaking world. I originally wanted to make some stamps from designs in the Rider/Waite/Smith deck, and quickly realized that I had stumbled on a new passion.
COVID and the accompanying depression/anxiety that comes with living through a plague allowed for printmaking to become my coping mechanism. Even as the world has opened back up, I have not put down my V gouge.
I started reading professionally around 2017/2018, after about 15ish years reading for myself or friends. In 2019 I had a regular weekly gig at a local distillery, but since the pandemic I usually keep to local festivals or art shows.
Reproduction from one of the earliest known Tarot decks, and one of my earliest attempts at woodblock printing. Carved on birch, a wood I grew to heavily dislike.
A reproduction of Strength from a Marseilles deck. Although the RWS deck is what I learned to read on, I find the art on the Marseilles trumps are a favorite.
Another trump card from the Marseilles deck (Death).
One of my larger woodblock prints (two 9x12 cheery blocks I glued together). Silent Hill 2 fanart for a friend's video-game themed art show. The Tower seemed like a good fit for Pyramid Head.
This was a final project for a Tarot class I was taking in 2020 that happened right at the time of the George Floyd protests. My version of Justice.
In progress "Page of Wands"
In progress "Page of Wands"
"Page of Wands" I accidentally carved off her right hand. I ended up making a tiny linocut stamp to hide the mistake, and I think it turned out better than the original sketch.
"The Star" This is a reproduction of one of the earliest known Tarot decks.
"Death" This is the print that made me feel like I had made some real progress in my abilities as a block printer. Death has always been one of my favorite cards, and I wanted to make an interpretation I hadn't seen in other decks.
I title this one "Queen of Swords", even though there isn't much "Queeny" about it. It makes sense in my head, and is too long of an explanation to write here.
The World, wip
"The World" Many early version of this deck show a globe with a pictorial image inside. I wanted to capture that idea, but also throw in a nod to another hobby of mine, Lyra.