Wisdom of the Depths Tarot

Our latest interview is with Lyn Thurman, the creator of the Wisdom of the Depths Tarot - a tarot deck that uses digital collage artwork, mainly from the late 1800s, in ocean-inspired scenes.

The deck is loosely based on the tradition of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck - the names and numbering are the same - but Lyn took creative license with the images

Kickstarter - Wisdom of the Depths Tarot

Where in the world do you call home?

I live in a beautiful seaside town in North Wales. We moved 10-hours before the first UK lockdown and I’m so blessed that I got to spend 2020 only a ten-minute stroll away from the sea. I adore living here. However, I’m a Londoner and London will always have a piece of my heart.

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

I bought my first tarot deck when I was seventeen. I had no idea what I was doing so I picked an Ancient Egyptian deck because I’d always felt a connection to that era. However, I really didn’t feel a connection with the deck. I buried it in my underwear drawer and never used it. Not sure what happened to it.

When I was in my late twenties, I re-found tarot. It was a turbulent time in my life but it rekindled my fascination with all things mystical and magical. I bought a Rider-Waite tarot and set about learning how to read tarot. That was the beginning of the love affair with tarot and the start of a tarot collection (I’ve lost count).

What made you want to create your own tarot deck? What was your inspiration?

I created an oracle deck in 2015 – the Sea Whispers – and had originally planned to create another oracle deck last year. It just felt like the right time to get creating again after a bit of a lull. But, as a tarot reader, I really wanted to create a tarot deck. It just seemed like a huge undertaking – 78 cards following a traditional RWS format. My husband encouraged me to take the plunge.

My inspiration was the sea (it usually is for most things I do). It’s my happy place and I wanted to share that through my tarot.

What would you say is unique about your deck?

I think my deck is a bit quirkier than most sea-themed tarot decks. I have folklore characters, regular sea-living folk, and familiar creatures.

How long have you had the idea for the deck for and how long has it taken you to create it?

The idea for the tarot deck came very quickly after realising that I’d like to create another oracle deck (in 2020). As soon as I realised that I was going to do a tarot deck, I started to create it. There was no big plan – just an unfolding.

It took me a little over a year to complete. I started in July 2020 and finished August this year.

We are living in such crazy times. How has the pandemic affected your creativity?

Actually, I feel incredibly lucky to have found the pandemic to be a time of healing. Having space to reflect and ponder has renewed my creativity. I have had time to allow creativity to flow to the surface and then the desire to pursue it.

What have been your challenges in creating this deck?

My first challenge was believing that I could do it. After that, the deck sort of came together on its own.

The next challenge was finding a printer in the UK that prints tarot/oracle decks. I only found two and one of those didn’t really meet my requirements. Fortunately, the other printer’s test deck was exactly what I was hoping for.

My final challenge of this journey so far has been working out how to price a campaign for Kickstarter. The most frustrating thing was working out the postage, which must be included in the campaign goal. It gave me such a headache!

The majority of the images you used were from the late 1800’s. Does this time period have significance to you?

Not particularly. There is an abundance of public domain images from the late 1800s so it allowed me to find my characters for the tarot deck. I also fell in love with taking old artwork and breathing new life into it. My next deck, which I‘ve started on already, will also use a lot of 19th-century illustrations.

How will you celebrate when the deck is finally published?

That’s a good question. My husband and teenage daughter are my support team (and will be parcel packers when the time comes) so it will involve them. Might have to involve vegan pizza too!

What is on offer for people who pledge?

Along with the tarot deck, backers can choose to include a digital Tarot Journal, art prints, and handmade tarot bag wraps (made by The Auld Spaewife in Scotland).

Instagram: @lynthurman

Facebook: https://facebook.com/lynthurmanpage

Website:https://lynthurman.com

If you'd like to back this stunning deck, click here:

Kickstarter - Wisdom of the Depths Tarot

Vivika Tarot of the Fae

Our latest interview is with Matthew Breer, the creator of Vivika Tarot of the Fae - a beautiful deck based on the B.O.T.A and Rider Waite tarot decks with a personal flair, vibrant colors, and a look into the wisdom of tarot depicted in a world of rainbow-winged fairies

Kickstarter - Vivika Tarot of the Fae

Where in the world do you call home?

Well, that’s not an easy question as my home is anywhere, I hang my hat and I don’t own a hat 😊. I’m originally from Colorado, spent most of my life in Oklahoma, and Texas, but I’m based out of Texas and travel the world, although Cambodia has a special place in my heart and if I had a hat, it’s the place where I might hang it.

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

My first experience with the tarot was stumbling onto my mother’s deck when I was about 4 years old, thinking that they were the most interesting thing I had ever seen, and at that age they probably were. Needless to say, I’ve been dabbling in tarot and such things ever since. so, I would say I fell in love with it at the young age of 4. Being exposed to the imagery at such a young age probably drove me to pursue the arts in my education.

What made you want to create your own tarot deck? What was your inspiration?

I’m an artist and tarot lover so the natural progression is to make a deck, the act of creation is a magical process, and as an avid admirer of all things fairies it seemed fitting to make my first public deck fairy inspired.

What would you say is unique about your deck?

It’s a deck inspired by the world of rainbow-winged fairies and mushrooms, infused with vivid colors, personal flair, and an energy that can only be described as fairy-like.

How long have you had the idea for the deck for and how long has it taken you to create it?

This is my first public deck. But, creating decks have been an ongoing idea or concept since 2008. This particular deck idea started over three years ago but with my mother having several strokes and passing, it was paused for quite a long time.

We are living in such crazy times. How has the pandemic affected your creativity?

Well for a long time, even before the pandemic, I had been in an artistic funk, and a few months back I had what I believe was covid, which knocked me off my feet for over a month, but after, I found myself out of the funk, emotionally, physically and spiritual and ready to create and so I have. Some dwell on the negatives of what is going on in the world around them I chose to look at the positives and so I must do what I can to make the world a better place. As an extension, this deck is the start of creating the change I want to see in the world. because I truly hope that it brings its owners the peace and happiness it has brought me in creating it.

What have been your challenges in creating this deck?

I think the hardest challenge was accepting the things that were keeping me in the funk, like my mother’s passing. however, I truly enjoyed almost every minute of making the deck as it flowed from my hand to the finished card, finishing each card gave me more energy to create the next. So, this will not be the last deck. I’m currently working on a deck to honor my mother, a unicorn-themed deck but it is still really early in its beginning, but so far it’s been a pleasure creating it.

The name of your tarot is interesting. What is the meaning behind it?

It’s a play on words and understanding as derived from the words vivid meaning bright, producing powerful feelings, and Viveka a Sanskrit name meaning wisdom, discernment, distinction, or right understanding. It has been described as the ability to differentiate between the real and unreal, eternal and temporary, Self and non-Self. It is the act of realizing the Truth and the Soul.

So, it can roughly translate to The bright wisdom tarot of the fae but so much more is implied within, much like the cards themselves.

Rider Waite is perhaps the most famous tarot deck; however, your deck is also based on the B.O.T.A deck. Can you explain more about this type of tarot?

Yes, the Builders of the Adytum (BOTA) deck, for the most part closely resembles, Rider-Waite deck, but the creator of the B.O.T.A deck corrected what were thought to be mistakes or blinds in the Rider-Waite deck. Even going as far as to convert the suit cards back into pip style cards. as far as this deck is concerned, I took elements and ideas from both decks. In general, as far as I understood the symbolic elements, and incorporated them into the deck, if I felt I didn’t understand an element, or it just didn’t make sense, I researched it to have a better understanding. If it still didn’t feel right or didn’t make sense it was not included. For example, the death card in the Rider-Waite deck shows a skeleton in Armor atop of a horse, and in the B.O.T.A deck is a more traditional skeleton with heads around. so, while I understand the horse is meant to show movement or change in today’s modern age that is no longer the association so I opted to follow the B.O.T.A deck. However, I still included elements like the two towers and the flag.

How will you celebrate when the deck is finally published?

The Kickstarter ends just before Thanksgiving in the United States so I will be thankful for all the support and enjoy a big feast while shipping out orders and continuing to work on my next project.

What is on offer for people who pledge?

We are offering several things that are best described on the Kickstarter campaign but a summary is:

3 digital coloring books, A digital Card Art Print with your name on it, A copy of the illustrated guide to Vivica tarot of the fae guidebook, First Edition Deck, First Edition Round Deck, First Edition poker-sized deck. and several other things 😊

Website: https://www.breersartandthings.com/

Facebook Page https://web.facebook.com/BreersArt

If your collection is calling out for rainbow-winged fairies to join it, click here:

Kickstarter - Vivika Tarot of the Fae

The Joyseeker Oracle: Animals & Nature

Our latest interview is with Danielle from Danielle Trudeau Studios, the creator of The Joyseeker Oracle - an oracle deck that is a love letter to all things animals, plants, nature, and the beauty of life.

Each card was hand-painted & inked by Danielle, with a focus on the magic and beauty of the natural world. Packed with symbolism and positivity, this deck will serve to remind us that there is magic in our daily life, we just have to allow it to shine.

Kickstarter - The Joyseeker Oracle

Where in the world do you call home?

Born and raised in the prairies of Manitoba, Canada! I was surrounded by nature throughout my life, so animals and plants were always at the top of my inspiration list.

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

Symbolism in art was always something that felt magnetic to me, so when I discovered the world of tarot & oracle it was love at first sight. In a way, it felt like a language that was so fluid and personal and gave me the opportunity to see my own life in a different way.

What made you want to create your own tarot deck? What was your inspiration?

Creating my first deck, the Joyseeker Tarot, can only really be described as being a vessel to help bring something greater to life. The idea for the deck came on so suddenly, and I let myself be swept up in that energetic flow. What was truly bizarre was that so many of the details of the deck like the design, art style, and overall theme were already formed in that first burst of inspiration, and I continued to add my own spin on things.

What would you say is unique about your deck?

The colour palette blended with the subject matter definitely gives it a unique feel! Plus it was super fun to create so many pink animals!

How long have you had the idea for the deck for and how long has it taken you to create it?

The moment I wrapped up the Joyseeker Tarot deck, I knew I had to explore the idea more and the Joyseeker Oracle thoughts began.

We are living in such crazy times. How has the pandemic affected your creativity?

As a deeply introverted person that loves to spend time creating art, I appreciated the extra time indoors but the struggles of the world definitely made it hard to really fall into a deeply creative experience. I learned to take better care of myself as a result which is always a blessing!

What have been your challenges in creating this deck?

The brainstorming phase was definitely the trickiest - having created the Joyseeker Tarot first, I got used to having the structured flow of a Rider-Waite tarot-inspired, but when I really sat down to start planning the Oracle, I was overwhelmed with the sheer openness of everything.

How do you combine shadow with light in each card?

The balance of light & darkness, both visually and emotionally, has always been incredibly important to me. Dualities give life spice and also context, so this definitely has a factor in the Joyseeker Oracle. The message behind this deck as well as the Joyseeker Tarot isn't about ignoring the dark, sticky parts of life. In fact, it is quite the opposite.

Instead, it encourages us to embrace and accept that darkness & pain, forgive it, and allow it to make the beauty & brightness shine that much more radiantly.

How will you celebrate when the deck is finally published?

A spa day and a brand new tattoo :)

What is on offer for people who pledge?

Backers can get their hands on the brand new Joyseeker Oracle deck, and can also bundle their pledge with the sister deck, the Joyseeker Tarot! There are also prints available of any of the cards so you can embrace more of that pink animal love within your favorite spaces.

If you absolutely have to have these gorgeous pink animals in your collection, click here:

Kickstarter - The Joyseeker Oracle

Website - https://www.joyseekertarot.com/