The ASL Tarot

Dylan Pannara created this deck for those who are Deaf, but also those interested in sign language, after seeing that there is not a strong representation of Deaf people and ASL in the Western Esoteric world.

The deck incorporates striking colours on a black background and represents the ASL language and is based on the Rider-Waite system.

Kickstarter - The ASL Tarot

Where in the world do you call home?

Rochester, New York! I moved here in 2012, and It is home to the largest population of Deaf people per capita! I work for the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and am very close to the Deaf community in Rochester. It has become my home.

What was your first experience with oracles and / or tarot and when did you fall in love with it?

I recall my first experience with an oracle/tarot was in high school. I’ve always been in love and interested in the mystical side of the universe as long as I can remember. I had that “Mythology” Book Collection growing up in the early 2000’s and remember poring over the Wizardology book for hours upon hours and being fascinated by the stars, tarot, and much more. However, since meeting my partner, Allie, who is very involved with tarot, it was then that I began to dive into this world much more deeply.

What made you want to create this deck? What was your inspiration?

A combination of things led to the creation of the Deck. Quarantining at home surrounded by art and my partner who is deeply invested in Tarot and the mystical messages that it spreads led to me drawing one piece for fun. That led to more cards, and ultimately an entire deck!

Aside from your own deck, do you have a favourite deck? If so, which one?

I don’t collect decks, which is another reason why this deck was created! I would say the symbolism and meaning behind the rider waite smith deck is everything, no wonder why it is an iconic deck. The RWS deck is ultimately what inspired this deck with its own twist.

Do you have a favourite card (either from your deck or just the card in general). If so, why is it your favourite?

I lean towards the Devil. I know you must be thinking, What?! The Devil? A lot of people misunderstand the Devil. It is a positive card for your own personal growth. It reminds you to not investigate things too much, to be more aware of yourself, step away from materialism, don’t harbor ill will, or secrecy towards other and much more. I really enjoyed drawing that one, a another fun one that I enjoyed drawing would be the Sun & Death.

What have been your challenges in creating this deck?

Trying to make sure that a 3D language really translated to something that was 2D and be clear enough for those who had no understanding of the deck to be able to read from it, understanding the meaning of the cards along with understanding the signs behind the language incorporated within it.

What is one thing you really want people to know about this deck?

The booklet that it will include will also include instructions of Tarot, descriptions of the major arcana which has the most ASL incorporated in the cards, and what those movements mean. I really focused on making sure people could try to attempt the signs themselves using similar movements as portrayed on the cards, so don’t be afraid to try it!

Are you aiming your deck at people already familiar with the ASL language, or are you hoping to share this language with a wider audience and increase awareness?

Both! I created this deck so Deaf and ASL users would be able to access something that was previously not available to them. This deck also will be able to expose new ASL users, people who are interested in ASL and the Deaf Community and more.

How will you celebrate when your deck is finally published?

I will most likely dig in and get to work fulfilling orders but not without a reading of what to do next. I wouldn’t say no to a camping trip before the beginning of winter though!

What is on offer for people who pledge?

There’s a lot of different levels to make it as accessible as possible for everyone.

Right now, the Deck is at $40 which include stretch goals of the booklet, better card material, and an altar cloth.

As the stretch goals continue to grow, hopefully! The following will be unlocked, a high-end book shaped box, gold foil printing on the back of the cards, a tarot bag with a yellow crystal.

There’s a range of tiers that people can look at.

To support Dylan‘s vibrant and groundbreaking deck, pledge here:

Kickstarter - The ASL Tarot

The Faceted Garden Oracle

This is Claire Mack’s second oracle deck and it is just beautiful. Each card is hand-made and is inspired by a different facet of life in this imagined garden. Although Claire gives meanings to each card, she is hoping that by using her imagery and your intuition, the cards will mean something individual to you.

Kickstarter - The Faceted Garden Oracle

Where in the world do you call home?

Seattle, Washington has been my home for the last few decades. The Pacific Northwest area in the U.S. is really beautiful, mountainous, and green from all the rain. I’m hoping to move out of the city into a more rural area soon so I can be even more steeped in nature.

What was your first experience with oracles and / or tarot and when did you fall in love with it?

I was given a tarot deck as a teenager and was hooked by the rich, symbolic imagery, and the way it really seemed to speak to me every time I used it. Being an artist, it felt like a language I could understand on an intuitive level, without the need for words. Later, I became aware of other decks, each different from one another, and I fell in love with them as a kind of art form as well as being a divination tool.

What made you want to create this deck? What was your inspiration?

When I created my first deck, The Illuminated Earth Oracle, I was inspired by all the incredible indie decks that were appearing like a new Renaissance of this ancient form. I was really excited to see The Wild Unknown for the first time, which got me thinking about non-traditional imagery and how I could focus on my love of nature to create my own deck. Making both of these oracle decks was a very free-flowing and intuitive experience, which is exactly the way I needed to approach it.

Aside from your own deck, do you have a favourite deck? If so, which one?

There are so many amazing decks out there now it’s hard to choose, but that first deck I was given was the Aquarian Tarot and I’ve always loved it as a familiar friend.

Do you have a favourite card (either from your deck or just the card in general). If so, why is it your favourite?

It depends on the deck, but I’ve always related to the Queen of Wands in general. I’m also fond of The Tower, in that it reflects that catastrophic darkness, which admittedly, is part of my personality. In the Faceted Garden Oracle, one of my favorite cards is the Fountain, in which I love the colors and the definition I give it as being a cooling elixir to ease the traveler on their journey.

This is your second oracle deck, what have been your challenges in creating this deck this time around?

I’m happy to say the artwork for both decks was so much fun and came with very little effort or consternation. However, the big challenge for me is digitally preparing the work for print. I’m not very tech-savvy - I’m definitely learning a little more each time, but still tearing my hair out getting through some of the technical details! Thankfully, I have a teenage daughter who was a big help with Photoshop tips.

What is one thing you really want people to know about this deck?

I’d like for people to know that their intuition plays a big role in interpreting the cards. Some of the cards do have a very personal meaning to me, but I prefer not to explain too much. I’d rather let the images speak to each individual and have them notice what feelings come up from their own experience. The garden theme has created some amazing imagery.

Can you explain a bit more about why you chose a garden and how the faceted part of the title fits in to the deck?

Because nature plays such an important role in my life it seemed like a natural theme to carry on after my first deck, which has sort of a broader theme of the natural world. I have a backyard garden and also live in an area that has some pretty amazing species of plants, both cultivated and wild. Watching how the landscape changes with the seasons and thinking about the way we engage with and relate to these variations helped inspire the theme. I was also thinking in terms of the whole planet representing the garden from a macro perspective, and the facets - or different faces like on a cut gemstone - that we interpret depending on our perspective.

How will you celebrate when your deck is finally published?

That’s a good question! I tend to dig in and begin the work of fulfilling orders, but it’s a nice idea to mark the occasion with something celebratory...maybe setting up a new altar where I can get to know the deck in its completed form. It’s funny, but I know my first deck like an old friend now and this one will be like bringing home a new baby who’s personality will be revealed the more I nurture it.

What is on offer for people who pledge?

I tend to keep it pretty simple. The most popular tiers are for the Faceted Garden Oracle deck or the combo of both the Faceted Garden and Illuminated Earth Oracles. I’m also offering a set of stickers, an 8x10 art print w/stickers, and a Deluxe Doubles package where you get 2 decks, 2 greeting cards, 2 prints, and stickers. Oh, and there’s a wholesale tier for a dozen decks for people with online or brick-and-mortar shops.

You can also purchase Claire's existing work on etsy:

Claire Mack Arts

To show your support for Claire and her beautiful oracle deck, pledge here:

Kickstarter - The Faceted Garden Oracle

A Compendium of Witches Oracle

Natasa Ilincic, a published author, has created this oracle deck in response to readers of her book, "A Compendium of Witches", some of whom were already using the book for bibliomancy (using randomly chosen passages from the book in the same way they would randomly choose oracle cards). A tool of self reflection and guidance, this deck would be a unique addition to any collection.

Kickstarter - A Compendium of Witches

Where in the world do you call home?

Home is many places. At the moment, home is Edinburgh, where I live with my partner and a little jungle of plants – but home is also the Italian Alps, where I grew up, and the Dalmatian coast, where my family is from.

What was your first experience with oracles and / or tarot and when did you fall in love with it?

My first experience with decks was during my teenage years. At the time I was starting to learn about various methods of divination, including water scrying and bone reading. I was particularly interested in researching how various cultures around the world have different approaches to the art of divination.

What made you want to create this deck? What was your inspiration?

The idea was sparked by the readers of A Compendium of Witches, a book I published last year. Many readers reached out to me after finishing the book and asked if I was ever going to make a deck; some of them also told me that they were already using the book for bibliomancy.

In 2020, whilst preparing the book for its second printing, I noticed how perfectly my witches embodied specific archetypes, so I decided to feature them in an oracle deck - along with 30 brand new additional companions with symbology derived from myth and folklore.

Aside from your own deck, do you have a favourite deck? If so, which one?

I do not collect decks, but I do have one that has been with me for a long time and that I really like - called Symbolon. It has an interesting approach that incorporates astrology, and rather than focusing on predicting the future it emphasises self-reflection, much like my deck.

Do you have a favourite card (either from your deck or just the card in general). If so, why is it your favourite?

In tarot, I have always been very fond of the Fool. From my deck I think it would be the Crossroads – a card depicting Hecate. It is a card that invites us to reflect upon our journey – to pause upon reaching a crossroads, familiarise ourselves with the landscape around us, and sometimes retrace our steps. It encourages us to think about our options and choose the wisest path, without being afraid of changing our course.

What have been your challenges in creating this deck?

After being so focused on exploring the specific meanings of each card, the most challenging aspect was probably visualising the deck in its entirety and making sure it felt whole and cohesive

What is one thing you really want people to know about this deck?

That it is designed to be used as a tool for reflection and guidance, rather than a divinatory instrument, but that should not prevent people from using it in any way they see fit. I think that the organic familiarity between the deck and the reader surpasses any written instructions, and readers should always feel free to follow their intuition and needs.

Your deck is based on a book that you published, “A Compendium of Witches”. What inspired you to write the book?

Despite working as an illustrator, my background is in Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology. In 2016 my anthropological fieldwork took me to the rural highlands of Bosnia with the objective of researching and learning as much as I could about traditional female tattooing. I interviewed the elderly women who bear the last of these tattoos, the roots of which are embedded deep within a pre-Christian Illyrian past.

I collected not just symbols, but the stories and wisdom of strong and resilient women that had survived not one, but two wars.

All of this made me wonder; if I could talk to the women of the past, what would I learn? And if I could talk to the wise women of the past – those who were familiar with a wider world, those familiar with spirits and the invisible forces hiding within nature – then what would they tell me?

Women were given little space in historical record, and wise women even less, often being from marginalised fringes of society. My mind started to spin, and the idea for this book was born. Through the years I have learnt so much about history, folklore, beliefs and customs, and this seems like the perfect project to put that information to good use.

I wanted to meet these witches, to give them faces and voices. Weave their stories in the fabric of history. This is how the book was born.

How will you celebrate when your deck is finally published?

With a glass of wine and some rest! I think the best feeling will be seeing the backers of the project share pictures of the decks in their new homes – that will be the true celebration!

What is on offer for people who pledge?

The deck is available in two editions: a compact one for those who prioritise practicality, and a deluxe one with guidebook included. The Bibliophile tier gives people the chance of getting a copy of A Compendium of Witches at below its retail price, and the Collector’s edition comes with an exclusive altar / reading cloth and an original ink sketch signed card. There are also many pieces of original watercolours available during the campaign, for those who love collecting art.

To show your support for this amazing author and artist, pledge here:

Kickstarter - A Compendium of Witches