The intrepid artistic fool I am: My journey through tarot and a decade of artistic exploration.
Shapeshifter, Celtic Dragon, Animals Divine & Fantastical Creatures Tarot & The Celestial Goddesses book.
In 1994, I was asked to create sample art for my first deck, Shapeshifter Tarot. Back then, I was the intrepid newbie 20-something year old artist, full of dreams and fresh from recent children’s book publication, book and magazine work and a few oddities in between. I was open to anything and a tarot deck sounded like just the thing needed to satiate my long term ambitious artistic palette and unwavering interest in myths, legends and tarot cards. Little did I know that this would turn out to be a lifelong calling—a burning need to create images that had deep psychological significance within the ever-expansive and fascinating world of divination.
Creating tarot decks as both illustrator and creator/author/illustrator has been a journey into an inner landscape replete with all manner of ethereal visions. My work has never strayed from a bit o’ the fantasy—nothing is direct, photo realistic or even slightly “modern”, rather it represents my need to explore enigmatic images floating within the collective pool of timeless mystery…where the need to understand reality and all its pleasures and sufferings is manifested into legends, fairy tales, myths and all manner of narratives. To me, these help explain that which we cannot understand. My journey as an artist has involved something heartily emotional, compassionate, edgy, and comforting. These emotions have persisted throughout time and are what make us inherently human, fallible and creative.
With my desire to create serving as a reliable guide, I’m trying to reach a place where the soul is called to task and asked to offer up something deeper and more satisfying than the mundane. To me, the stories, the art, the myths and the fairy tales activate something sacred within. These figments of my inner world pour onto paper and create a passage between consciousness and unconsciousness–this is what my tarot art has been: bridge building between various levels of the psyche.
The decks I’ve worked on represent different stages of my life—with each one expressing the obvious growth I’ve made as an artist over the years. I don’t think one deck is necessarily better than another. Rather, each deck is an expression of who I was at the time: from the fresh almost naïve approaches of the Shapeshifter Tarot images, to the more seasoned, confident renderings of my later decks. My second foray into tarot exploration was the Celtic Dragon Tarot, my bestseller to date. The art is a bit bolder, the perspectives more challenging, with values that range from soft muted to bold and striking. I was in between “newbieness” and being the all-out confident professional. I knew what I wanted to do, but still needed the years to fully awaken as an individual and artist–part of the fool’s journey.
In between decks, I engaged in other creative endeavors including writing/illustrating a book, working as a conceptual artist in the Florida-based entertainment industry, collectible card games, calendars etc.. I also taught at a college while earning my masters degree with a focus on what else: art, Jungian psychology and tarot — all the same goodies that had navigated my muse all along. Phew! It was an intense time full of changes and out of all this emerged Animals Divine Tarot; a deck that showcased both my artistic growth and scholastic achievements. I really loved working on this deck and purposely pushed the colors to reflect the vibrancy of the natural world. Fantastical Creatures Tarot soon followed, a deck that released unfettered creativity and perhaps revealed the deliberate effort to capture more detail without relinquishing the spontaneity of the watercolor brush.
As I was approaching middle age, I was digging deeply through fairy tales with endless threads of inspiration sweeping my soul into lands of make believe. I was immersed in the delightful task of researching and writing; having taken important seats next to my The Fairy Tale Tarot art making chair. Fairy tales are the first thing I read and loved, launching my creative sensibilities as a child. I was coming full circle, revisiting books illustrated by Arthur Rackham, Charles & William Heath, Sulamith Wulfing, Arthur Sykes, Gustave Dore, Howard Pyle, A.A. Milne, Edmund Dulac, Tasha Tudor and the list goes on. And of course, there is my omnipresent Golden Book of Fairy Tales of my early childhood (see a previous post). I came back to the Fool, but a wiser Fool– one who embraces all that I am as an artist. The Fairy Tale Tarot is all of my experiences on the journey mixed together in a big pot of artistic inspiration with a dash of deeper understanding. I have come back home, having fulfilled a lifelong dream to illustrate fairy tales and I feel, …well, emotionally prosperous. Do I intend to stop painting? NO! Have I ever stopped painting? NO. Will I keep growing as an artist? I certainly hope so!
And how about you, readers? Do you have a favorite deck that I’ve done? Have you found that balance between embracing what you were and what you are now? Do you sometimes feel like the intrepid Fool?
*A special thanks to the members of Aeclectic Tarot, whose forum discussions helped to inspire this post (especially Hearthcricket).
Chiming in late because that’s how I roll lately (get it? Roar! I crack me up)
My favorite of your decks is the Shapeshifter. It’s odd. I meant to type Fantastical Creatures but my fingers would not. Every time I typed Fa I hit Sh. Hmmmm.
Your art is mesmerizing because of the details. You do not skimp on detail. As an intuitive reader, that’s really important to me.
I do not read with any of your decks. I use the Animals Divine for meditation sometimes and have used the Shapeshifter to help plot some of Marilu Mann’s shifter tales.
I really think my favorite deck is the Fairy Tale one. Hee.
Thank you, Share. Your ongoing support is so appreciated. I’m glad we’re friends on facebook. Janet, your opinion means a lot, so I appreciate your candor and am so glad your favorite decks coincide with my own favorites. Thank you, friend.
Hi Lisa!
I own everything shown (LOL), and I think you get better with every product, to be honest!
Up until now, Fantastical Creatures has been my favorite (with Animals Divine a close second), but I have a feeling the Fairytale will trump them all!
Hugs and congrats, my friend!
Janet
Hi Lisa!
I know we usually do our chatting on facebook (and that Jack Frost painting I just saw on your fan page is indeed haunting and eerie in line with recent events) but I wanted to express my thanks and gratitude at all the many gorgeous and exquisite Tarots you have created over the years. Seeing them all together like that is so cool!
My favourite of yours has been Fantastical Creatures since it came out in 2007….but I KNOW when your Fairy Tale Tarot arrives it will be forever my favourite. But you probably already know that hehe!
I’ve honored to be apart of the creation of the FT and watch with awe and love as it came about day by day. I feel how wonderful it is to share this with the actual artist and creator and share the joys you have in your life, the accomplishments ….I think all of that will make this Tarot very very special and treasured to me…..much (much!) more than if I had just went and bought it at a store w/ knowing nothing about you.
Only a few more months!! I sure you can’t believe it’s almost time for your baby to go out into the world and transform lives…..
{{{Lisa}}}
Share
Hi Jenn, Dragonfae and of course, HearthCricket: It’s so great to hear from members of Aeclectic! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. HearthCricket, I love Tasha Tudor’s work. Her style seems so timeless and natural, even though her subject matter was definitely of the Victorian era persuasion. One of my first hardcover books I purchased on my own was Tasha’s rendition of The Secret Garden. I treasure that book and feel she made the story come alive with her lovely illustrations.
Thank you for your kind, thoughtful comments!
I am a member at Aeclectic also and that is where I first read about your fairy Tale tarot….I am waiting excitedly for it to be out…I’m soo looking forward to it. The illustrations look just beautiful and I adore fairy tales. Thanks for sharing your creative journey with us.
Thank you for sharing your amazing journey through the world of art to tarot deck creations! We have the same admiration for artists and I was particularly excited to see Tasha Tudor listed among them. In fact, I was in touch with her granddaughter Amy and told her how I read and collected tarot decks and thought Tasha would enjoy Animals Divine and the Fantastical Creatures. I sent a few pictures and apparently you received a thumbs up during tea time! I am sorry for her passing. She would have loved your upcoming Fairy Tale deck! The Fantastical is still my favourite, though the Fairy Tale will probably be fighting for first time. In the meantime, Animals Divine have recently spoke more to me and I have been working with it as a spirit guide deck! Seeing your various decks lined up like that really shows how you have grown as an artist, as well as a tarot deck creator! And as you know, I grew up on fairy tales and have never left them behind!! Keep the magic alive, Lisa! I look forward to this new deck, as well as future ones!!
You have a good eye, Julia! Yes, in fact the 10 of Pentacles in FTT is East of the Sun West of the Moon. In this case, I dedicate it to you and all the prosperity ahead! That piece is probably one of my top 10 faves in the deck. I will post a larger version of it in a future post. Cat, given that you’re a fairy tale lady yourself, I’m not surprised that you’re gravitating to the fairy tale-themed deck. Thank you for your great comments.
Lisa I had no idea you had been working in tarot for this length of time. What a beautiful journey and record of your explorations.
They are all wonderful but I have a feeling the Fairy Tale tarot will be my favorite!
They all look gorgeous, although I must confess I don’t have any of yours…YET!
I’m very drawn to your fairy tale tarot as you know, but your painting style is so magical I love the atmosphere you can invoke.
Is that an East of the sun west of the moon painting I see at the bottom there? oooh…I must see if I can find that in your gallery!
I am one of the Aeclectic members who commented on your upcoming release and eagerly following that thread. I find the discussion riveting.
I anxiously await the release of Fairy Tale Tarot, it seems truly beautiful and sure to invoke the imagination of all who work with it.
I was unfamiliar with your work at first but since had Celtic Dragon, Animals Divine and Fantastic Creatures in hand and look forward to owning Fantastical Creatures myself as I believe this is my personal favourite out of those and feel I must own and read with it.
Thankyou for sharing your insights on your work and passion as a creator of decks. It has been a very interesting entry.
I think that the Fairy Tale Tarot accompanying book will be very comprehensive and your passion and joy for the subject will shine through onto the pages.
I wish you the best with your project.