Category Archives: Tarotcast

Weekly Tarotcast

Tarot and Art Horoscope for Week of Sept. 15, 2019

 

Marcel Broodthaers  is an artist who danced with variety of muses.  He started off as a poet, and at age 40 he switched his focus to visual art.  His art like his poetry has a wry sense of humor, for he loved the turn of a phrase which he used in both. For example, his first piece, he took all his unsold copies of his poetry and created a sculpture calling it Memory Aid.  Or his cultural commentary on Belgium’s obsession with eggs, mussels and fries by using them in a variety of installations and sculptures.

Four years after his switch to visual arts, he declared he was no longer an artist and started the creation of a moveable museum, Musée d’Art Moderne, Département des Aigles (Museum of Modern Art, Department of Eagles).  Where he curated his work and added to it with vacuum-formed plastic signs that heavily reference what was going on around him. This is where he made his mark in Art.  For he created exhibitions of his old art, new work and borrowed objects.  This radically subverted the traditional chronology of museum retrospectives and how art was displayed.  His unconventional concept that a piece or pieces can evolve with each showing, and that the pieces can change context with the objects it is shown with has influenced artists and the process of exhibition ever since then.

 

P.S. Remember signs with an * it a big week for you.  Virgo this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And Pisces it is your half way mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in now is the time.

 

Aries

Marcel Broodthaers visual artThree of Coins – Collaboration and cooperation are key this week.  The Three of Coins advises you to ask for help even if you don’t feel you need it.  This might be challenging for you head strong fire signs, but multiple hands, eyes and minds ease the path.  Motto:  Many hands make light work-John Heywood

 

*Taurus

The Hanged Man – You all have arrived back in the land of karmic movement or actual non-movement this week.  The Hanged Man is the card of inactivity on the material plane.  That means you will have times of idleness whether that is a traffic jams or things just not working out.  Take advantage of these time outs.  This inertia comes not to be fought against but gives you the space to do a much-needed internal inspection.  To work with this card try taking this week off or at the very least scheduling in moments of piddling, as Maya Angelou calls itShe describes it as the art of just sitting or puttering around for no other reason than just because. And lies the challenge with this card, introspection without a goal.  Think of it as pulling over to the rest stop of life.  You just came from a whirlwind of summer and now are heading into a productive fall.  Don’t you think, just for this week, you can and deserve practicing the art form of piddling?

 

Gemini

Marcel Broodthaers visual artAce of Swords – So a message from the past last week can help you to see new avenues of thought this week.  Aces are always new beginnings, and swords are the realm of thought and intellect.  The Ace of Swords foretells it is a great week to solve problems, expand your brain with new information, do anything with legal issues or PR or forms of communication and decision making.  Your challenge taking in a account of the past to guide future choices.   Your motto: The mind is everything. What you think you become.Buddha

 

Cancer

Marcel Broodthaers visual artEight of Wands – The Eight of Wands forecasts it is a great week to send out messages into the Universe.  Whatever you aim/focus on this week will gain momentum.  The challenge is picking the targets you truly want in your life.

 

Leo

Five of Swords – Last week the World card advised you to say yes to opportunities setting you up for exploration of your self and your surroundings.  This week the Five of Swords, the card of an overactive ego, has you questioning all that is around you.  Instead of seeing all the opportunities, you are seeing all the blocks.  But many of these blocks are just your ego getting in the way.  Whether that ego is low self-esteem or that you are overestimating your influence, you need to take a step back to really see what is really going on.

 

Virgo

Marcel Broodthaers visual artTen of Coins – So just a reminder Virgo the Strength card is your birth year card and it will bring you situations that will ground you and help you acknowledge your resilience, self-compassion, and mental acuity.  So, by your 2020 birthday you will feel more comfortable in your skin.  This week’s card rounds out your birthyear readings with the Ten of Pentacles.  This card foretells this will also be a year to focus on finishing up projects, enjoying the planet and your place in it.  So not only will you feel more comfortable in your skin but also in your environment.

 

Libra

Marcel Broodthaers visual artTen of Wands – Your second ten so just a quick focus on the numerology – ten is the number of completion.  So last week and this week is a great time to finish up old projects.  But where last week things flowed a bit easier, this week can feel burdensome.  With this card responsibilities can feel overwhelming.  However, the goal of this card is to see that you are partly responsible for the feeling of being overwhelmed.  You have control over how many wands/projects you take on.  The challenge with this card is realizing you can put some of your obligations on hold to finish up what you consider the most pressing.  Don’t worry, the ones you let go of will either still be there next week or will magically go away.

 

Scorpio

Marcel Broodthaers visual art*Justice – The Justice card comes to help you balance right from wrong. The challenge is that things are not as black and white as one would like. As the Egyptians thought when weighing out a person’s heart for sins.  The sin of killing would weigh differently for a military person than for a baker.    The challenge is looking at the situations or circumstances around the decision or judgment.  This could be a simple as figuring out which child broke the remote or as complicated as figure out why your date hasn’t called in a week.  So, the work around this week is find out more before you make any decision.  There is more behind the scenes.

 

Sagittarius

*Strength – The Strength card comes to help you with your fears and show you your superpowers.  This can play out by flinging you into situations that you feel you cannot handle.  However, that is not the case, you can handle everything that is thrown at you.  A fun exercise you can do is name your 3 superpowers, your kryptonite and your superhero name. This exercise of identifying your strengths and weakness will help you navigate not only this week with more ease but the rest of the year.   Your Motto this week:  I’ve got this.

 

Capricorn

Marcel Broodthaers visual artQueen of Wands – The Queen of Wands is the muse of arts and nature.  She stokes the fire of creation and inspirations.  She advises either that you create in these arenas or that you immerse yourself in them.  So, if you have the time take off to the forest/park, museum, studio, and/or concert hall.  And if your time is limited watch your favorite indie movie, listen to music, play in your garden or read a good book.  Your motto:  Inspiration.

 

Aquarius

*The Fool – The Fool is the card of new beginnings. This is a great week to start new projects and/or travel.  However, the challenge with this card is thinking through before starting on your new path. You must be very careful of naiveté when making decisions this week even small ones.   This can look as simple as rushing off to work and forgetting your lunch or paperwork for the day.  Or it can be as complicated as changing career paths like accountant to fisherman but forgetting you get seasick.  If you take in consideration your past lessons with situations this will help from mis-stepping on to an unwise path or worse off a cliff. Your challenge this week is eyes on the ground, be practical, and have foresight by using your hindsight.

 

Pisces

Eight of Coins – The Eight of Coins is the card of mastery.  This week is about tweaking situations not starting over.  When this card shows up you got the skills to master all that comes your way.  The challenge is believing it.  Motto:  No one else is you and that is your power.

 

May light be on you, around you, and within you,

Nina

 

Tarot and Art Horoscope for Week of Sept 8, 2019

 

Emperor Tamarin Monkeys

I was lucky enough to be able to work with and then fell in love with the Emperor Tamarin monkeys, above, at the San Francisco Zoo. And I wanted to share some god news.

Tamarins as a species are about the size of a squirrel.  Their body size ranges from 5 to 12 inches and weigh 8 to 32 ounces.  The genus’ habitats are the tropical rainforests in Central America through upper South America.  They are omnivores eating fruits, plant parts, insects, small vertebrates and birds’ eggs. They do cooperative rearing where the whole troupe takes care of the young, a baby can hop from one member to another.  And members have been noted to bring the baby to the mother when it is hungry.

Also, scientists have found that Cotton Top tamarins do better in experiments when they work cooperatively then when they work alone.  Most of the 31 species are doing well in the wild, except for the Golden Lion, Cotton Top, Pied, and White Footed Tamarin which are endangered or critical. However, they as a species are now living in a forest that is burning.

The reason for the increase is fires is two-fold and a vicious cycle.  First, fire is used to clear cut land for agricultural and ranching.  Secondly, July and August which is normally rainy was drier and now the area is heading into the dry season that last through November. Which can lead to more fires which leads to less forests which help create drier climate. Good news: On September 6, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Suriname signed a pact, setting up a disaster response network, satellite monitoring and agreed to work on reforestation of the Amazon. So maybe the tamarins have a chance if we like them work together.

P.S. Remember signs with an * it a big week for you.  Virgo this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And Pisces it is your half way mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in now is the time.

 

Aries
Black- mantled Tamararin Monkey

Five of Wands – The Five of Wands forecasts chaos ruling this week, and this chaos is not in your favor.  It can be highly distracting from your path and cause you to misstep.  The challenge is how to skirt the pandemonium.  One way is delaying decisions or answers.  Like saying “let me think on it.”  The other is flat out saying “no, I am too busy this week.”   As Winston Churchill said: You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.

 

Taurus
Red-capped Tamarin Monkey

Seven of Wands – The past 3 weeks have been big.  With the Chariot, driving you to make transformations happen.  Then the High Priestess advised to do some deep reference work on the how and why of those alterations.  Then Judgment, the card of evolution, heralded that you are prime for an ascension.  Whew, now you get a breather with the Seven of Wands. Well kinda.  This card means you are going to have to stand up for yourself and this new transformation.  Do not let others block your way.  This week fight and be as loyal to your goals as you would for a friend’s.

 

Gemini
Black-handed Tamarin Monkeys

Six of Cups – The past has information for you to help you this week.  Especially if you have a feeling of Deja vu .  This means you are in the right place at the right time and there is a message in that moment.  Your song for the week: History Repeating

 

Cancer
Cotton-topped Tamarin monkeys

Two of Cups – The Two of Cups forecast that this week is all about relationships.  Take this week to drink in and pour out the love.  The challenge with this card is making sure that the relationships you put effort into are balanced in the arena of giving and receiving.

 

Leo
Golden Lion Tamarin Monkey (Leontopithecus rosalia)

*World – Opportunities abounds this week with the World card.  The big lesson with this card is to walk through as many literally or metaphorical doors as possible and try on as many metaphorical shoes.  This is a week were saying yes sets you up for exploration of your self and your surroundings.  The only challenge with this card is feeling as if after you have taken the opportunity you can’t back out.  That is not the case, this week is about seeing which opportunity fits the best.  This can be as simple as trying on a bunch of new looks (hair color, hats, glasses, shoes) and seeing which one you want the new you to look like, or trying a variety of new foods.  Or as complex as sending out your resume to places you always wanted to work just for the fun of it.

Virgo
Black Lion Tamarin Monkey (Leontopithecus chrysopygus)

King of Coins – The King of Coins is materializer.  This week he comes with energy to make stuff happen in the realms of work, finance, and real estate.  The challenge with this card is greed- intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.  So, if you remember to share this week, it can be very prosperous for you in more ways than just on the material plane.

 

Libra
Superagui Lion Tamarin Monkey (Leontopithecus caissara)

Ten of Coins – The Ten of Coins brings prosperity, positive outcomes and a sense of well-being.  This week things just seem to work out.  The challenge with this card is if they don’t work out realizing they were not meant to be, and it is time to let them go.

 

Scorpio
White-lipped Tamarin Monkey

Eight of Coins – Last week with the Empress it was a great time to plant seeds, start new projects and nurture what is already in the works.  The Empress energized growing anything you want to, but  the challenge was that anything you start will take at least 9-10 months to full mature.  Well the Eight of Coins gives you another week of ease to work on what you started last week.  The only challenge with this card is not starting over when you see a problem or thinking you can’t do it. Knowing you can master any problem with just a few tweaks is key. Motto:  You got this.

 

Sagittarius
Saguinus bicolor Tamarin Monkey

Four of Cups – The Four of Cups is the card of introspection and gratitude.  It is a great time to navel gaze and do some inner work on yourself.  The challenge with this card is not seeing that the outside world as important as your inner world. You must water both for growth., and the key to that  is using gratitude to see the positivity in both.

 

Capricorn
Geoffroy Tamarin Monkey

Ace of Coins – Last week, the Wheel of Fortune, card of chance and changing of fortunes, challenged you to take chances.  So, you could see that success is not always measured in winning but in believing in yourself, and giving your dreams a chance to manifest.  Now with this knowledge and belief in self, the Ace of Coins forecasts now is the time to start projects on the material plane.  This week plant the seeds of your next fortune.

 

Aquarius
White-footed Tamarin Monkey

King of Swords – The King of Swords comes to lend you his power of foresight, so this is a great week to make plans.  The challenge is looking not one or two steps ahead but 4 to 10 steps.  The farther out you plan for – the less effort it will take to make those plans turn into actions.

 

Pisces
Golden-mantled Tamarin

Queen of Coins – The Queen of Coins comes to reminds you that feeling luxury is important in your life.  She loves to prompt you that life isn’t worth living if you don’t live it.  She asks what small thing can make your life comfier or more luxurious.   Is it a sweet treat?  Or a nice bottle of wine/beer? A hammock? Watching the game with friends? Staying in your PJs all day?  Your challenge doing a little something nice every day for yourself.

 

May light be on you, around you, and within you,

Nina

 

Tarot and Art Horoscope for Week of Sept.1, 2019

Biodiversity Reclamation Suits Lauren Hope RothTo all of you in the Bahamas and on the East Coast, may you find refuge and be safe.

The above piece is a clay pigeon hidden behind the crocheted plumage of the extinct bird, Cararcus of Guadalupe. Laurel Roth Hope is a former park ranger now turned artist.  She creates a variety of sculpture and fiber art that highlight our fellow earthlings that she calls Biodiversity Reclamation Suits.  With this series of scupltures, she started with the concept of how we ascribe value to things that are rare and denigrate things that are common and that effects how we see wildlife.  So, she chose the common pigeon, an icon of the successful adaptation though also known as the “flying rat” and disguised it in the rare and therefore perceived exotic plumage of extinct birds.   Try this week to see the exotic in the common and see how this changes your perspective.

 

P.S. Remember signs with an * it a big week for you.  Virgo this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And Pisces it is your half way mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in now is the time.

Aries
Biodiversity Reclamation Suits Laurel Roth Hope
Bachman’s warbler Laurel Roth Hope

Eight of Wands – The Eight of Wands forecasts that what you aim with a true heart hits the mark.  This is a week to ask for what you want, send out messages, PR yourself…  Your question:  Are your goals truly fulfilling your hearts desires?

 

Taurus
Biodiversity Reclamation Suits Laurel Roth Hope
Carolina parakeet Laurel Roth Hope

*Judgement – this is your third big card in a row.  So, time to take the bull by the horns Taurus.  The past 2 weeks Chariot, card of change that is totally in your control, pulled up to give you another chance to make transformations happen.  Then the High Priestess advised to do some deep reference work on the how and why of those alterations.  Helping you with signs from the heavens, dreams, synchronicities or in deep contemplation.  Now Judgment the card of evolution arrives.  This card heralds that you are prime for an ascension.  This week find ways to up your game.  This should be easier now that you have mapped out where to go with the Chariot and how and why you are doing it with the High Priestess.  This task is not a simple change with these three cards.  But it can look like, asking for promotion, expanding your business, quitting your job to work for yourself, retiring, etc..  By the end of the year you should be well on your way with a new ride into new lands.

 

Gemini
Seychelles parakeet Laurel Roth Hope

Queen of Swords – The last two weeks the Devil card came to test you on who you are and what you stand for.  Then the Hanged Man kept you in a purgatory like state to let you contemplate how you were triggered.  Now, the Queen of Swords continues the focus on contemplation, but emphasizes focusing on the details to create movement.

 

Cancer
Paradise parrot Laurel Roth Hope

Nine of Swords – The Nine of Swords is the card of worry. This week your worries will be highlighted.  The best way to deal with them is to first clearly seeing if you can do solve them.  If you can do something, then prioritize it with the other things in your life.  And for the things you can’t do anything about – write them down and literally throw them in the trash.

 

Leo
Heath hens Laurel Roth Hope

Ten of Swords – Last week, your thoughts got in the way of your success.  This week others are trying to pull you down into the morass.  This week is full of people cutting you off the literally and metaphorical road.  If you did last week’s work and casted away your demons, then others unintentional malice or thoughtless actions will not faze you.  If you didn’t do the work, then be well armored going outside.

 

Virgo
Great Auk Laurel Roth Hope

Eight of Swords – The Eight of Swords has you examining how your thought process are stopping you this week.  The challenge is being compassionate with yourself for these thoughts.  They were put there by others.  Once you can see the chains clearly, you can let go and walk away.

 

Libra
Guadalupe caracara Laurel Roth Hope

Nine of Wands – The Nine of Wands forecast this is perfect time to stop and do some preparation before doing.  This looks like making sure you have a menu for the week, then creating a list and only getting what is on the list.  The more prep you do, the cheaper, healthier and faster the results.

 

Scorpio
Mauritius Blue pigeon Laurel Roth Hope

*Empress – This is a great week to plant seeds, start new projects and nurture what is already in the works.  The Empress energizes growing anything you want to this week.  The only challenge with this card is anything you start will take at least 9-10 months to full mature.  Oh, and another thing prioritize yourself care.  Be as kind to yourself as you would your own child.  Remember as they say on airplanes Oxygen masks on yourself before your children.

 

Sagittarius
Ivory Billed woodpecker Laurel Roth Hope

Seven of Coins – Last week was a great time to create with the Magician card. The only challenge was that your creation must have meaning behind.  This week the Seven of Coins gives you another week to work on your project with gusto.  There is a stable and constant energy with this card’s energy.  You can tap into easily, so use it well.

 

Capricorn
Dodo Laurel Roth Hope

*Wheel of Fortune – The Wheel of Fortune is the card of chance and changing of fortunes. So, this is a great week to take a chance on something.  This can look like sending your resume to your dream job, asking out that special someone, and/or playing lotto.  The challenge is not in the success of wining but believing in yourself and giving your dreams a chance to manifest.

 

Aquarius
Biodiversity Reclamation Suits Laurel Roth Hope
Passenger Pigeon Laurel Roth Hope

Six of Cups – The Six of Cups foretells that something in your past will help you this week.  This can be an old friend, looking at old journals, or recalling an previous conversation.  This card is the card of deja vu.  They tell you that you are in the right place at the right time.

 

Pisces
Biodiversity Reclamation Suits Laurel Roth Hope
Cuban Red Macaw Laurel Roth Hope

The Three of Wands – This is a great week to expand your horizons.  This can mean going to a place you have never been before but always wanted to, or just daydreaming about where you want to go next.  It is important that you refuel your passion and drive by seeing or imagining the path to where you are heading.

 

May light be on you, around you, and within you,

Nina

 

Tarot and Art Horoscope for Week of Aug 25, 2019

Above is the iconic photograph Glass Tears by Man Ray.  He was born on August 27, 1890, a Virgo.  Not only did he influence fashion photography, he was also a painter, film-maker, collagist and sculptor but as he said I have finally freed myself from the sticky medium of paint and am working directly with light itself.  His exploration of photography and film became the birthplace in making his dreams a reality.  I would photograph an idea rather than an object, a dream rather than an idea.

That freedom is seen in how he styles the photograph and plays with techniques.  Like his technique of rayographs, placing a variety of objects and parts of himself and models on sheets of photosensitive paper and then exposing them to light.  Where his image of a spring (see Sagittarius)  highlights the concept of movement and three dimensions in one still image.  He begs the viewer not to judge his work solely on technique or to just see the subject in one dimension but expand your awareness and curiosity by prompting you to ask the why within the image.

P.S. Remember signs with an * it a big week for you.  Virgo this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And Pisces it is your half way mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in now is the time.

Aries

Man RayKnight of Swords – Last week the Page advised finding out more information before moving forward. Now with that information, the Knight of Swords pronounces moving ahead but taking your time thinking before action. This is a week to slow down in general for you will miss vital information or missteps.  This card’s practical application also warns, watch out that you don’t hurt your extremities.  Look both ways when you cross the street.  Curl your fingers in when you cut veggies and be careful when you are walking.

Taurus

Man Ray*High Priestess – Last week the Chariot, card of change that you are sole responsible for, pulled up to give you another chance to make transformations happen around areas that you want to alter.  Now the High Priestess shows up advising that you need to do some deep reference work on the how and why of your changes.  The great thing about this card is, if you ask for signs from the heavens, she can scry you some answers either in your dreams, synchronicities or in deep contemplation.  This can look as simple as you need a new plumber for that drip in your bathroom sink, you see a black cat in the window, then you google a plumber near you and see one named Black Cat Plumbing.  Or as complex as doing dream work with your desires.  Motto: Insight and inspiration comes from many sources.

Gemini

Man Ray*Hanged Man – Last week, the Devil card came to test you on who you are and what you stand for.  This week the Hanged Man keeps you in a purgatory like state to let you contemplate how you were triggered last week.  You need to see the patterns and/or places that are working against you.  You can blame your failure on others, or you can see that maybe the game you have willingly played is rigged.  Time to figure out what really is important in your life and how you want to be seen in the world.  Take this week to center back to who you really are.

Cancer

Man Ray

Eight of Coins – The Eight of Coins is the card of mastery.  This week your focus should be around how to work smarter not harder.  This week do not start new projects but tweak and oil what is already in process.

Leo

Eight of Swords – Your thoughts get in your way this week.  The Eight of Swords advises to stop over analyzing a situation.  If you let old thought patterns go, you will make room for feelings that are more helpful then harmful.

Virgo

Ace of Wands – Last week you all got your first big card for your birth-year, the Strength card.   This card comes to help you ground yourself and acknowledge your resilience, self-compassion, and mental acuity.  By 2020’s birthday you will feel more comfortable in you own skin.  This week, the Ace of Wands joins the Strength Card having you strike the match to create passion in your life.  This year has the potential for new beginnings.  The question for you to answer is what is your deep desire?   Then write it on a scrap of paper and burn it on the Virgo moon, August 28th or 29th.  And then let the Universe finds ways to gift it to you in the coming year.

Libra

Page of Cups – Time to get out your rose-colored glasses.  The Page of Cups advises to look at the events and people in your life this week with compassion and empathy.  Everyone needs a little love.  The challenge with this card is being vulnerable enough to receive the love back.

Scorpio

Six of Wands – The Six of Wands is the card of victory.  Take this week to see all that you have accomplished and pat yourself on the back.  The only challenge with this card is even though you deserve this break and win, be aware that the battle is not yet totally won.

Sagittarius

Man Ray*The Magician – The Magician is the card of bringing the divine down into the material plane.  It is a great week to create! This can look as simple as making an exquisite meal that delights the senses.  Or as complex as writing the next great novel.  Then only challenge with this card is that your creation must have meaning behind.  This is not a week for mundane chores and to-do list.  If you reach with a higher purpose you will be able to grasp the brass ring.

Capricorn

Page of Wands – The Page of Wands comes when you need to create or live with a flourish of passion.  This card shows up to re-ignite your purpose and enhance your innovation. If you are not vibing with this energy or your muse has gone on vacation.  Time to immerse your self in the arts, music or nature to realign yourself with your passion.

Aquarius

Two of Coins – This week can get out of balance.  The challenge is figure out what you need to do to stop your internal and/or external vertigo.  This card suggests juggling one thing well before picking up another.  Or even better, don’t multitask at all this week.

Pisces

Queen of Wands – Last week the Tower, card of change coming from an outside source, shook up something that was not working.  But if you were proactive in initiating the change, the Tower promised it would lessen the blow.  So, if you did nothing and shit hit the fan, the Queen of Wands advises to use your intuition to help clean up the mess this week.  If you did initiate the change, then she helps by staking out the easier path with the breadcrumbs of synchronicities. Making you surer of the path you are now on and more instinctive with every step.  Either way your Spidey Sense is key this week.

May light be on you, around you, and within you,

Nina

Tarot and Art Horoscope for Week of Aug 18, 2019

Helen Frankenthaler Color Field

This week’s artist is Helen Frankenthaler an abstract painter.  She is one of the artists who developed the Color Field painting style which emerged in the 40’s and 50’s.  Color Field painting is related to abstract expressionism and many people including Helen started in this style.  But Color Field artists started to move from color expressing feelings or emotions to color becoming the object itself.  This style is characterized by large fields of flat solid color spread or stained into the canvas.  Though many artists expanded upon this idea using a variety of methods and mediums like spray paint, oils, acrylics and in Helen’s case woodblock prints.

Frankenthaler’s goal was to have each piece look like it happened at once.  A really good picture looks as if it’s happened at once. It’s an immediate image. For my own work, when a picture looks labored and overworked, and you can read in it—well, she did this and then she did that, and then she did that—there is something in it that has not got to do with beautiful art to me. And I usually throw these out, though I think very often it takes ten of those over-labored efforts to produce one really beautiful wrist motion that is synchronized with your head and heart, and you have it, and therefore it looks as if it were born in a minute.

Above is her piece Madame Butterfly which is consider her masterpiece in technique, the print took 102 different colors and 46 woodblocks to make. Not only does it show her mastery of woodblock printing but also represents her idea of creating an image that looks as if it just appears like magic.  I find her goal much like the one we strive for in life.  When we look back at our lives, one should not just see it as a series of events, but a true life lived is seeing those actions as a whole – a soul’s journey.

P.S. Remember signs with an * it a big week for you.  Virgo this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.

 

Aries

Helen Frankenthaler Page of Swords – This week is about information gathering.  The Page of Swords is the card of truth.  Though to obtain that truth one will have to do some undercover work.  When this card shows up ask questions and listen closely to the answers.  The truth does not lie on the surface.

 

 

Taurus

Helen Frankenthaler Color Field*Chariot – Lol, you all got the Chariot, card of change, two weeks ago.  This repeat of cards happens for two reasons. Either it has come by again picking up where you left off, or you didn’t take up the reins last time and you get a do-over.  The Chariot proclaims again that it is time to make transformations happen around areas that you want to alter, and it is your sole responsibility in powering that change.  I highly suggest you take up the reins and make stuff happen.  Life rarely gives us do-overs.  Motto:  Be the change you want to see in the world.  Ghandi

 

Gemini

Helen Frankenthaler Color Field*Devil – The Devil card comes when one is getting tested around who you are and what you stand for.  This week plays out like finals week.  You have gone through all the hardships.  And now situations and people will test you around your resolves.  This can look as simple as a co-worker asking you out for lunch when you are trying to save cash, or boss asking you to work another long day or weekend when your child hasn’t had time with you all week.  Or this can be as complex as speaking up when you see/hear discrimination happening at the bus stop. You will have to walk your talk.

 

Cancer

Helen Frankenthaler Color FieldSix of Swords – The last two weeks have been all work and no play.  This week the Six of Swords still has movement, but advises that you need to step back, gain some perspective and simplify your process/life.  You need this paring down so you can be more focused.   Also, this is a great week to hang in or around a water source.

 

Leo

Five of Wands – The Five of Wands ends your birth month with a bit of chaos.  This week is just a hint of some things you need to focus on and straighten out in the coming year.  On a positive note with all that isn’t working and bring chaos into your life this week, you have a whole year to lay the foundations and structures. By 2020 birthdate you can begin to create your empire on what you accomplish this year.

 

Virgo

Helen Frankenthaler Color Field*Strength – Right out of the gate your first big card for the coming birth year.  The Strength card helps you ground yourself and acknowledge your resilience, self-compassion, and mental acuity.  This year you will have opportunities to show you how far you have come.  That though you have been bent you have never broken.  By 2020’s birthday you will feel more comfortable in you own skin.  And to do so the best exercises are ones that keep you in your body.  If you don’t have those practices this is the week to start them.  This can look like doing body scan meditations each night, learning how to rock climb, or start journaling.  Just find a way to notice how you walk and feel on the Earth in the day to day.

 

Libra

Helen Frankenthaler Color FieldEight of Pentacles – The Eight of Pentacles is the card of mastery or bettering your skills at how you make money.   This week is not about learning new things but more about tweaking, so you work smarter not harder.

 

Scorpio

Helen FrankenthalerThe Seven of Cups – Last week, the Hanged Man card of stagnation and inertia ruled the roost.  This week with the Seven of Cups movement is still on hold.  But where last week the goal was using the time-out enjoying whatever life brought you or listening in silence to your inner voice for some enlightened contemplation.  This week’s card suggests your contemplation focusing on your dreams.  The goal is to investigate if you are dreaming big enough while at the same time making sure you are not being delusional.  Motto: head in the clouds – feet on the ground.

 

Sagittarius

Helen Frankenthaler Color FieldFive of Pentacles– Two fives in a row, so first lets stress fives represent chaos.  So last week it was looking at emotional chaos.  This week the Five of Pentacles are focusing on loss on the material plane.   This can be as simple as you misplace your keys or wallet. But it also can be complex as loosing time or losing confidence in your work.  The big way to work through this week is asking for help.  I know you all like to do things on your own, but four hands or eyes are better than two.

 

Capricorn

Nine of Cups – Last week, the Empress wanted you to start planting seeds for projects/relationships you want to produce in 10 months. While challenging you that you must commit to it for the next 10 months to get a well-formed outcome, and it must have a component of helping others.   Well the Nine of Cups continues that theme of growth and is begging you to drop your perfectionism down a half a notch this week.  Remember this “project/s” is supposed to represent how you want to grow and what you want to grow.  And no “baby” can grow without the freedom of learning from missteps.

 

Aquarius

King of Wands – The King of Wands comes to remind you how special you are.  You have gone through a lot this past year.  And this week you can build upon your successes. This is a week for you to take back some control you may have given away.

 

Pisces

*Tower – The Tower is the card of change that comes from an outside source, to shake up something that is not working.  This is the energy of Kali, goddess of destruction and rebirth.  There are a couple ways to deal with this card.  One way is do nothing, let the shaking happen and deal with the aftermath.  The Second way is to say, “nope I would like not to deal with this”, some tiny shit will hit the fan and this card will come back around with more force next time.  Or lastly see what needs to be changed and initiate that change before an outside source does.  This is as simple as seeing that engine light on your dashboard lit up and then getting your car fixed this week.  Or as complex as seeing that your relationship is not based on equality and having a discussion about it.

 

May light be on you, around you, and within you,

Nina

 

Tarot and Art Horoscope for Week of Aug 11, 2019

Deborah Passmore "U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705"

They say when life gives you lemons make lemonade.  But what if the lemons are bad?  The artist this week is painter Deborah Passmore.  Above and below are her watercolors of fruits and nuts when she worked for the US Department of Agriculture in Pomology. Her collection and others are stored in the national Agricultural Library in Beltsville, Maryland or online in the USDA Pomological Watercolor collection.

Pomology is the science of growing fruit.  And at the turn of the 1900’s US agriculture was making its mark in the newer domestic and international market of fruits and nuts.   So, the USDA hired over 50 artists from 1886 to 1942 to document and help standardize the variety of fruits and nuts growing in the US.  The USDA did not only want examples of the perfect fruit but also needed farmers to see mis-shaped, or rotten fruit from being mishandle, stored or shipped incorrectly.

Passmore quickly went up the ranks at the beginning of this endeavor became the head of the art staff in the Division of Pomology and was the most prolific illustrator.  She was known to do as many as 100 washes to get the right texture of the specimen.  Her watercolors are now seen as a national treasure and history of the variety of fruits grown in the early 1900’s.

All images are from “U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705”

PS. Remember signs with an * it a big week for you.  Leo this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.

Aries

Deborah Passmore "U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705"Seven of Cups – The Seven of Cups is the card of dreams and illusions.  My dear ram this week you need to be really grounded about where you go and/or what you have planned to do this week.  The paradox with this card is you are not dreaming big enough but at the same time some of your hopes and dreams are not based in reality  This week if you are more flexible with your outcomes, things will proceed with more ease and you will gain more than you are expecting.

Taurus

Deborah Passmore "U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705"Two of Pentacles – Last week, the Chariot, card of change, proclaimed that it was time to make transformations happen around areas that you want to alter, but you had sole responsibility in powering that change.  This week the Two of Pentacles continues that thread but cautions you that you need the modification to have more balance.  So, rest with work, veggies with your proteins, equal left and right brain time, etc…

Gemini

Deborah Passmore "U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705"Three of Pentacles – The Three of Pentacles card foretells that this week collaboration is the key to success.  This should be easy for you if you turn on your Gemini charm.  And my dear twins, you all are fully aware that two minds are better than one.

Cancer

Deborah Passmore "U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705"King of Pentacles – Last week the Empress asked you to plant the seeds that would gestate in 10 months’ time. And had you ask yourself:  What do you want to grow?  How will you sustain that growth for the next 10 months? Does this growth have an aspect to help others?  And if this growth doesn’t happen what is your plan B.   The King of Pentacles allows you another week of planting, but he also challenges you to fertilize the growth of at least one seed.

Leo

Deborah Passmore "U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705"Two of Swords – The Two of Swords comes when you are at a fork in the road but feel as if you can’t make a decsion.  This card reminds you that it is not actually the decision of left or right but of which journey would you like to take.  Begin taking the perspective of it is more about the journey than the destination.  (Even though this is a lower arcane card I think it is important for your birthday month/year, so when making decision this week think more about how you want the year going forward to be than a weeklong outlook.)

Virgo

Page of Wands – The Page of Wands comes to you when you are needing to light up your passion.  This week this Page advises you to take time out to do something that ignites you.  And wand cards always suggest that either that is communing with nature or some art form.  This week go dancing, to a concert, a museum, or state park your soul needs expanding and inspiration.

Libra

Deborah Passmore "U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705"Four of Swords – The Four of Swords is the card of rest and relaxation.  This week it is vital that you relax.  Whether that is 15 minutes- twice a day you lock yourself away to breath or if possible, a whole day where you stay in your PJs or swimsuit.  It is important that you rest.  Because, whether you admit it or not, your immune system is taxed, and you need to replenish your body and mind before you get seriously tap out your internal resources.

Scorpio

Deborah Passmore "U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705"*The Hanged Man – The Hanged Man is the card of stagnation and inertia.  This week will be hard completing or even progressing any project.  However, when you go with the inertia and take time out this week, you will find this can be helpful and enlightening.  In its simplest form this can look like being stuck in traffic. So the Hanged Man’s solution would be taking an alternative route that takes you out of the way, but you find a great place to eat or see a beautiful rainbow.  Or in a more complex form, you might just lay down your tasks for the week, sit in silence, and listen to your inner voice for some enlightened contemplations.

Sagittarius

Five of Cups – The Five of Cups is the card regret or seeing the cup as half empty.  This week can be triggering you to be regretful, sorry, bummed, or more negative than your usual self.  The interesting thing with this card is that is telling you to acknowledge the spilled milk in your life.  But it is also requesting you acknowledge that you have pretty amazing things in your life.  This card comes to remind you that your outlook can be more positive by feeding the emotions/ideas/projects/people that are working and stop feeding the things that are not.

Capricorn

*The Empress – Ok, last week I hope you got to rest because this week you need your energy.  The Empress declares now is time to start planting seeds for projects/relationships you want to produce in 10 months. In its simplest form it can be planting a tree that you can harvest fruit in late spring or working on redoing your garden so in late spring you can plant the best garden ever.  In its more complex form this can be a great time to get pregnant or start a new project that you can harvest from in 2020.  The challenge with this card is committing to the growth for the next 10 months to see substantial and well-formed outcome and it must have a component of helping others.

Aquarius

Two of Wands – The Two of Wands is the card of planning for the near future.  This card challenges you to daydream about where you want to go, do or be within the next 5 months until 1/11/ 2020.  Take this week to architect and plan what needs to happen for you to feel balanced and ready for 2020.

Pisces

Three of Cups – The Three of Cups comes when you need a little support from your friends.  You might be feeling lonely or melancholy.  There is no need. You have a good support system around you.  You just need to call them up and enjoy their company.  PS.  This week is also a great time for making new friends.  All you must do is smile and use that award-winning charm/sarcasm of yours.

May light be on you, around you, and within you,

Nina

Tarot and Art Horoscope for Week of August 4, 2019

The idiom stop and smell the roses advises us to slow down and enjoy the finer things in life.   This week’s artist, Tiffanie Turner requests us to stop and see the complexity of what we perceive as beauty through her flower creations.  Her paper sculptures are not always of the perfect flower, which is hard to come by and when found is short lived.  She pulls from the rhythms and patterns found in nature, as well as the wonderful gestures formed by missteps and irregularities in nature like decay, rot, wilt, dormancy, death, and genetic and viral mutations like phyllody, petalody…

She expands the scale and scope of the beauty in nature to bring us face to blossom, floret and stamen with an Alice in Wonderland gauge.  Like the Lewis Carol tale, her playing with scale shifts our perceptions of reality. Turner’s pieces jar us out of our paradigms of beauty, symmetry and rightness. By taking a distressed or deformed head of a flower she weaves tales of the beauty and transience, of life.  And then by contrasting it with perfect, gigantic head of a flower to offer some hope, however flitting.  These sculptures help us to examine our beliefs of beauty, transitions, abnormality and hope that often we too narrowly perceive.

P.S. Remember signs with an * it a big week for you.  Leo this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.

 

Aries

Ace of Swords – This is a great week for communication and decision making.  The Ace of Swords brings new beginnings in the land of communication and information.  If you can keep your mind open and sharp you can discover new pathways for thought and ideas.  Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in. Isaac Asimov

 

Taurus

Tiffanie Turner  flowers*The Chariot – The Chariot is the card of Change.  This is a great week to start a journey, travel, and/or move along projects.  In other words, it is a great week to make things happen to change things that you want to alter.  The only issue with this card is to make this transformation happen it is all up to you.  No outside force will swoop into help.  This train is run solo by the power of your engines, but don’t worry you will have the energy to power this modification.  PS on a practical note this card does have you literally check your means of transportation before setting off – check tire pressure, gas, make sure your shoes are appropriate, check your tickets etc…

 

Gemini

Seven of Swords – The Seven of Swords is the card of small victories.  This week you will have a surfeit of small successes.  The only challenge with this card is that though you come out victorious there is more to be won in the near future.  So, save some of your resources this week for the battles to come.

 

Cancer

Tiffanie Turner *Empress – The Empress represents the Goddess of Growth and Abundance.  This is a great week to plant seeds for growth you want to see happen in 10 months’ time.  The big questions this card has you answer this week are:  What do you want to grow?  How will you sustain that growth for the next 10 months? Does this growth have an aspect to help others?  And if this growth doesn’t happen what is your plan B.

 

Leo

Tiffanie Turner Nine of Swords – Okay Leos, what’s up this is your birthday month and this week you are letting worry play outdated sad songs for your party.  This is where that Hierophant that showed up two weeks ago can help.  First sort through your worries and only pick out which ones have a possible solution.  Second dump what is left over, for they are not worth your Leonian gaze.  Lastly, take those workable worries and set up structures and timelines (starting next week) to take them from worrying nightmares to doable to-do list items.

 

Virgo

Five of Wands and Four of Swords – Chaos is in the air this week with the Five of Wands showing up.  So, you as always have a choice jump into it or walk around it.  However, the Four of Swords advises that you walk around it or even better turn around and walk away from it.  If you do decide to jump in- take your vitamins and make sure you get lots of sleep because your immune system will be taxed.

 

Libra

Tiffanie Turner Ace of Wands – Ace of Wands is the card of passion and all things that light up our lives – bring us awe.  This is a great week for any kind of beginning – projects, relationships, roads, experiences.  The only caveat is that the things you focus on this week must bring or ignite some zing in your life.  Otherwise, why are you doing it?

 

Scorpio

Knight of Wands – All Knights foretell that travel is good for this week.  And the Knight of Wands loves it when you travel to events or places that bring awe into your life.  This card also comes when you are on the right path doing the right thing.  So, keep on keeping on and try taking to the road and letting your soul pick the place.

 

Sagittarius

Eight of Wands – The Eight of Wands foretells that whatever you focus on this week will hit the mark.  This is a great week to send out correspondence or PR – it will be well received.  It is also a great time to open conversation that normally are not easy to discuss – they will play out with ease and balance out power struggles.  Or a great time sending out wishes for they will come true.  The only thing to be cautious about is if your goal is not clear then your outcome may not be what you were aiming for.

 

Capricorn

Queen of Cups – The Queen of Cups is the card of fun and parties.  This is a great week to celebrate your halfway point of your birth year.  Take this time viewing all that has happened since your last birthday.  I sure you will find a few things to celebrate about.  Therefore, take this week off and raise your glass to yourself, what you have accomplished and to the prospects of the next 6 months.

 

Aquarius

Four of Swords – After last week’s Moon card, where you felt a little lost and moody, the Four of Swords advises you to take this week to rest and build up your immune system.  When this card shows up you are fooling yourself that you are fine or bad-ass enough that this week’s stresses won’t get to you.  This card highly suggests that bed-rest and vitamins are vital.  You are running on fumes and you need this week to recharge.

 

Pisces

Page of Swords and Ace of Pentacles – The Page of Swords is the card of information gathering and the Ace of Pentacles is the card of new material beginnings.  Together they mean that this is a great week to start new projects that are on the material plane.  Any projects you start will bring money in the future. However, the Page of Swords also says to start this project you need more information that maybe behind the scenes.  The best way to work with this Page is, before you start this project, ask questions and listen to the answers with open ears and mind for something is not exactly as logical as it would seem.

 

May light be on you, around you, and within you,

Nina