Concept sketches for the Star card

But the biggest change for me was sending off The Fairy Tale Tarot into a realm called completion. I felt so many mixed feelings as I let this baby go. Of course, there is the initial euphoria of having realized a personal dream within the dictates of a deadline. But then there is the inevitable post-project comedown after releasing this 5 year mission to the anonymous never land of production, where its fate lies in the hands of others. I shall never do this project again and it is flooding me with all manner of conflicting emotions. It’s always amazing to see one’s work-of-passion make it to the daunting sphere of publication, but the reality of its finality is like an encounter with post-partum confusion.

Final drawing for the Star card

The Star card speaks to me at the present: resonating with my need to let go, mentally gestate and drink up the nourishing light of inspiration before fully immersing myself in studio activities anew. Even my editor told me that I deserve a break after such intensity. And despite my conditioned need to keep working (the ol’ keep on drawing if you wanna eat), I know that she (and those around me who witnessed my years of dedication to this tarot deck) is right. I need to take time to read, sketch, dream, journal, socialize and allow external stimuli to refill my well with renewed creative zeal. I’m entering a season of adjustment from feelings of being an accomplished fairy tale painter to a girl sitting in front of her clean, empty drawing table, an unfamiliar sight after many years of constant artistic activity. I need to allow myself to organize my thoughts and my space before engaging in another spate of blissful creative chaos. And I know I will. This is not the first time I have finished a big project…but I will never have the thrill of doing The Fairy Tale Tarot again! For now, I will enjoy this peaceful interlude and allow the muses to go play outside for a while, with me as the quiet observer sketching without obligation. Soon, I will hold printed tarot kit in hand and will have a host of new feelings to process .

The Star from The Fairy Tale Tarot, watercolor painting

Symbols and meaning:

The Star Maiden flies into the center of the tree thus connecting the spiritual world with the earthly plane: merging the different layers of consciousness. A spiral circulates from her chest, expressing her desire to go be liberated from the confinement of limited ego-driven thinking. The dying leaves are being released from the branches and flow freely. The full moon symbolizes birth, death and resurrection. Lunar activities preside, when fragments of the waking state fill our dreams at night. The faces in the trees represent the collective unconscious and our ability to access ancient knowledge while we dream.
***
It is important to be receptive to dream messages as a means of gaining greater insight and wisdom about our past, present and future. By becoming more aware of our inner dream life, we can become more proactive in our waking lives—actualizing those hopes and dreams that reflect our deepest desires.

~ Lisa

Meeeeeow - The Amazing Timmy!

As many of you may already know via twitter and facebook, my beloved cat and faithful model for many paintings was recently the victim of a senseless crime. Though I’ve always been hesitant to let my kitties outside, there was something about Timmy that made us acquiesce to his desire. He loves to sit out front by my flowers, drinking in the sights and smells from his little patch of habitat.

Timmy is not your typical cat. He is a charming feline to all those who make his acquaintance. He possesses a playful lightheartedness and appears void of aggression or hostility towards anything regardless of what the natural order of things tends to dictate. Birds, ducks, frogs, lizards and all manner of animals would meander by his spot without taking much notice. It’s as though other animals can sense Timmy’s placidity and feel safe in his calm presence. I have a feeling he delights in visitors from the wild and takes pleasure observing his fellow animals. Lots of humans know Timmy as well. Even my community manager gushed about his particularly good-natured temperament after she had stopped by. Timmy is especially gentle with children and seems to connect with their innocent puerile antics. Whenever my kids rode their bikes or did chalk drawings on the driveway, their old faithful furry buddy would roll around near them as if he too was in recess mode.

Connor Talking & Timmy Listening

Timmy was a known fixture in my front yard…perhaps making him a vulnerable target. One day we noticed something was wrong. His left eye became swollen and his usual spunk gave way to extended lethargy. Our first thought was that he had been stung, or had a toothache, or had a stroke. We were not prepared for what came next.

When the vet called with x-ray results, it was as though someone had punched me in the stomach. Lodged in his occipital bone area (just missing his eyeball) was a BB gun pellet. This shocked everyone, even the vet. The fact that it had penetrated his face made the vet think it had occurred close range and was the result of pure maliciousness. I could not fathom why and how anyone would have done this to such a loving animal. The vet hypothesized that Timmy’s overt friendliness had put him at risk. “Timmy is such a sweet friendly cat, he may have gone right up to his attacker oblivious to the danger before he was shot.” We were devastated! Even the officer who took the police report shook his head and seemed genuinely disturbed by the incident.

Dick Whittington's Cat - concept sketches

Timmy is now indoors (permanently) and in great spirits. As much as he loves the outdoors, we’re not taking any chances. He is as loving as ever and has been enjoying his convalesce and the copious love that is being showered on him. We feel optimistic that he will be okay. Hopefully over time, we will all heal from the sadness of what happened and appreciate our dear fuzzy friend that much more for the remainder of his years.

These images are my way of honoring an important member of my family.

Timmy as the Magician card (winded cat) for Fantastical Creatures Tarot

Timmy as Puss in Boots (Mentor card) & Dick Whittington's Cat (Prince of Wands) in the Fairy Tale Tarot

~ Lisa
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Rumpelstiltskin Rough Sketch

How are you handling these challenging times? Personally, I try to focus on simplicity to help balance the complexity of modern life. I keep my tech acquisitions at a minimum –no laptop, no blackberry — content with a hand-me-down TV and aging cars. I maintain a healthy lifestyle, try to appreciate my family more, read more books and more letters and take my studio activities one day at a time. I try not to think about what I don’t have but rather all that I am blessed with. I have wishes, dreams and ambitions, …but as I get older they’re becoming modified. The only thing certain is the moment. I no longer think about the next train station. Rather, I’m happy with the one I’m at.

Simplicity helps me to deal with aspects of life that are unavoidably complicated and complication is everywhere! When burdens start to pollute my positive thinking, I find the best thing to do is let go and just be satisfied with knowing I’m doing the best I can. I’m not going to make the situation better by obsessing about those things I can’t control, but I can take pause, breathe and slowly tackle those dreaded items that need tending to without relinquishing a sense of well being.

Rumpelstiltskin Drawing

In the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, a poor miller made the fallacious claim that his daughter could spin straw into gold. When the King heard of her unique talents, he ordered her to his castle and commanded her to spin straw into gold or else she would die. The poor miller’s daughter was locked in a chamber piled high with straw not knowing what to do. Not knowing what to do until Rumpelstiltskin comes along that is.

Rumpelstiltskin Final Watercolor Painting

This card suggests that you feel smothered and weighed down–as though you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders with very little relief in sight. Be open to assistance and try to determine what you need to do to live in a more balanced manner.

From time to time, we may feel very “10 of Wands” — a card that suggests heavy burdens. Rather than being crushed under the heaviness of what we perceive as insurmountable trials and tribulations, sometimes we just need to take a breath, gather perspective and think of all the good things that are, before getting back to those aspects of life that present challenges.

~Lisa

Little Red Riding Hood Sketches

This past week was one that tested my will and made me look upon the arena of positive thinking with skepticism. I had someone attempt to exploit me while someone else exhibited irrational behavior that resulted in inexplicable actions. I thought to myself,“Is the world going crazy?”. In both situations, I trusted and believed. I had faith in the goodness of others. But that faith was shaken when the rug was pulled out from under my vulnerable being and I was left to question the validity of my own supposed good judgment. Intuition had let me down.

The Fool - Little Red Riding Hood B&W

I thought I was following the path, aligned with floral sanguinity when suddenly the big bad wolf emerged. And this wolf was not good. He was ravenous and potentially harmful. I did not see the indiscretions that lurked just beyond the shadows, but rather continued along my merry way assuming that all was right with the world. Once again, I’m reminded that the path does have the occasional beast, waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting. But do you know what? Despite these unexpected trials, I find myself looking down the path with the same optimism that has always possessed me. Instead of allowing shadows to overwhelm and obscure my journey, I’m able to decipher the good that lay beyond the immediacy of adversity. I’m able to see that it is the monsters along the way that help us to become more creative and defiant travelers. And at the end of momentary darkness and emotional paralyses, I am able to see the light and how important it is to never relinquish the innocence that is our adventurous spirit. If we allow ourselves to lose hope when the shadows grow large upon us, we will be swallowed up by darkness. And in order to proceed down the path of growth and self-awareness, we must try to discern the light. I believe in the light, the good. And by believing in those things, I can create my own illumination as I proceed forward on this journey that is called life.

The Fool - Little Red Riding Hood Color

In Little Red Riding Hood (as the Fool card) the Wolf represents the shadow: our wild untamed nature. It is “the devouring” and has the ability to keep us in the dark, but it can also serve to help us become more aware of ourselves.

Kort & Connor, the model for Little Red. TKD test Feb. 09.

When traveling down the path of life, there is the possibility of encountering dark forces that may lurk in the shadows. The path is full of unknowns and as we wander down the trail, our adventurous spirits will help us cross into thresholds of new possibilities. But be aware of tricksters that may cross your path along the way—tricksters that may test your spirit but may also help to facilitate growth, compassion and deeper understanding.

~Lisa