I have a deep love for illustration and the artists that do them. This collection of Japanese book covers (1920’s to 1940’s) I found on the exceptional site called 50 Watts. Hmm I don’t even know how to describe this site other than fascinating images of illustration collected by an amazing online curator/blogger. You can sign up for “journey round my skull” to get it sent straight to your inbox. I point this out because illustration, design and craft have been kept out of the definition of “fine arts”. This is an injustice.
Many “fine art” critics, curators and historians wave away illustration, craft and design as an art form and it can even be used an insult. As an example, an artist told me that an art teacher critique her paintings as too illustrative and that made her really question herself as an artist . I also had a run into this bias at an Artisan’s fair where the judge stated that she just couldn’t wrap her head around judging the fine art with the craft entries, so she decided next year to have a new category just for craft and this year she would only judge the paintings and photographs as entries. I don’t think either person meant it as a criticism to illustration or craft but interestingly both these people taught in a college setting, where they teach people what art is and also what defines their students as artists.
Illustration, design and craft can take as much imagination and technical skill as any “fine art” form. And as I have said before they are everyday gateways into art appreciation. Art critics and curators now have somewhat expanded the definition of fine art with street artists like Banksy, Jean Michael, and the trend for outsider art (and I have to add even at this time period these are predominately men that are recognized but that is another blog) but I am not so sure that the art educational system has caught up. What would happen if we just took out primarily or solely in this definition of “fine art” as creative art, especially visual art, whose products are to be appreciated primarily or solely for their imaginative, aesthetic, or intellectual content?Imagine what kind of art we would see if we opened up to that definition.
P.S. Remember signs with an * it’s a big week for you. And please share.
Aries – Eight of Swords
This week can feel a bit binding with the Eight of Swords. This card foretells that between your thoughts and your obligations you might feel a bit trapped. The challenge is realizing this binding feeling is all in your hands. The obligations and thoughts can easily be let go of if you are truthful with the reasons behind them.
Taurus – King of Swords
This King request that you take control this week. You are the best one to figure out your strategies to get through this week. Rely on others but only if they have direction, and who better to do that then you. You have your intellect and wit about you this week, use them.
Continue reading Tarotcast for Week of November 18, 2018
The Ten of Pentacles brings another week of focusing on building your net worth. What you have going right now is a pretty good gig. Keep at it and adding to it.
The High Priestess comes into your life when you need to take your own counsel. She challenges you to go within, find your center and then watch. The answer lies within the cycles you see with your intuitive gaze. This can look as simple as pulling back from a conversation when it feels a bit wonky and listen to what is really being said, or as complex as taking a retreat to find the keys to why your life isn’t really working the way you want it to.
The last two weeks the Fool challenged you to acknowledge and let go of the excess so you can pack lighter for the road ahead, and the Lovers challenged you to pick good companions for this journey. This week the Two of Swords continues the theme with decision making. This card advises that which you pick isn’t the point but making the decision which is the key, or in other words, indecision is your foe this week.
The Seven of Swords asks you to be careful by making sure you know the whys behind what you are doing this week. Your thoughts and communication skills will be challenged. This can come in a variety of forms. This card advises you to stay true to your morals and if you are feeling challenged see if you can postpone the conversation or project until you can gain your composure and thoughts.
You all have the most Halloween like reading with Death and Eight of Swords, but no need to be spooked. This week is just asking you to let go of limiting thoughts, so you can move with the organic change and growth that is happening in your life. This is as simple as when confronted with a limitation or boundary or what seemly is a road block, take what looks like the darker and unfamiliar path. It is the places that are dark and unknown that hold the secrets of fertilization and growth.
Last week, the Wheel said your fortune was changing. What came last week was a gift no matter its packaging, and your challenge was to see what you would do with this gift. Now the Eight of Pentacles takes that gift and challenges you to work on it by refining your skills, and finding your flow. They say it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill, so practice, practice, practice.
The Page of Swords comes to advise that you need to uncover information that is hard to find without inquiry and a bit of sleight of hand. The Page of Swords is the card of the spy. So some sleuth work is needed before you make any decision or move forward this week.
The past two weeks the World wanted you to finish up the old to create room for new, and then the Lovers card wanted you to start creating with others. Now the energy shifts to the Two of Pentacles, the card of balance and juggling. This card advises you to juggle just two things this week and get very secure with your balance between these two items before you add another item or project into your hands.
The Page of Cups comes when you need to be reminded about the joy in life. This card wants you to see, hear, and touch with the senses of a child. This is week get out your coloring books, Playdough, Legos, or your favorite toy and play.
Last week, the Fool challenged you to acknowledge and let go of the excess so you can pack lighter for the road ahead. The Lovers continues this theme. Its challenge is for you to pick companions on this journey. Take this week to make sure the ones around you support you. This can be as simple as making sure you have the right people to work on a project or as complex as evaluate the broader community around you. Your motto: Love is my guide.
Last week, the Empress wanted you to find something that you truly love doing and do it bigger and better. The Queen of Swords continues this theme but has you hone in on the strategic part of your plan. This week stay in your mind and plan than worry about actions of the future.
The theme continues with more building and growing with the Sun, last week the Magician called in new ideas and processes to continue building on what you started. This week the Sun not only continues this theme but ignites it with energy. Your challenge is how to harness this energy and use it like a laser. Your motto: Keep growing and expanding.
The Ace of Pentacles is the last card of your birth month and declares this year as a year of planting seeds for projects to grow until 2020. So take this week to figure out what seeds you want to plant and tend in your garden for the coming year.
The King of Wands challenges you this week to be more creative and passionate about what you are doing. The conundrum comes when what you do brings no passion into your life. If this is so then this week might be the time to make some changes in what rules your daily life.
The Four of Cups is the card of disenchantment or not seeing what is offered is pretty darn spectacular and ultimately what you feel is missing. The challenge with this card is getting into and enjoying the rhythm of the everyday emotional tides or currents. By seeing the paradox of stability in motion or ” emotional flow” and then devoting yourself to it gives you the last piece of your puzzle. Motto: In the ordinary I see the extraordinary.
The Knight of Pentacle is the card of methodical and thoughtful movement. The challenges with this card are pace and the movement forward. This week all your activities should move you forward at a slow and steady pace. If they are not this is the week to get rid of or adjust them so they do.
The Wheel is the card of change of karma and fate. When this card shows up it means this is a turning point in your life that no matter what it feels like your fortune is changing. The challenge with this card is to see the only control you have is to spin the wheel. You cannot control the spin or pick the price. What comes this week is your gift how you use it is up to you. Your motto: Doesn’t hurt to try.
Last week, the High Priestess challenged you to pull into your inner-scape and plug into your intuition; you will be able to sync yourself with your life path. Now we know why, the World has shown up to challenge you to close old doors and open new ones. You got the World almost to the date last month, so you get another crack at it. This week take this energy and finalize some old projects or people and at the same time go out and look for new projects or people. The World wants to help your challenge is you will need to go to new haunts to greet it. Your motto: I am open to the new.
The Five of Wands is calling you to arms. You will need to be valiant and noble, so you can bring a sense of light and passion not only into your work place but also into your life. This week fight for something you believe in.
The World is the card of completion and opportunities. In its simplest form it can look like finishing up old projects or finally crossing off your oldest to-do list items. In its more complex form, this can be closing old doors, and throwing away old ideas or ideologies opening you to new opportunities and ways of “doing.”
Last week you were scavenging data from your dreams. This week the Ace of Swords wants you to figure out how to use what you have gathered into your daily life. This week will inspire you to new thoughts and expand your mind.
The Queen of Cups has asked you to have fun yet again. Last week it was with a joy and sense of innocence of a child. This week the Queen of Cups knows that emotions, good or bad can be triggered, but it is through the lens of the positive that you will ease not only your journey but also those you support.
The Devil comes when you are tested about your resolves. This can look as simple as being tempted by pastry in your break room or can be as complicated as being beguiled by that person who has harmed you from the past. Now is the time to harden your resolve.
The Ace of Swords asks you to examine your logic and look for new ways of thought. This is a time were open-mindedness and new information will create more ease during your decision-making this week.
The World is the card of opportunities. This week many doors open for you. Your only challenge is walking out your door so you can walk through new ones. Enjoy the variety of life.
The Eight of Pentacles is the card of mastery. The challenge this week is not to start anything new but to become better at what you are in the midst of doing right now.
This is your second three in a row so let’s look at 3s more closely. Threes investigate the areas we need to stabilize. Last week you were advice to hanging with good friends to stabilize your emotions. This week the Three of Wands would like you to examine your foundation in how you interact with your life purpose. Are you hiding from your true purpose? Or feel that your true purpose is out of your reach, or you are inadequate? Even if you are feeling great with were you are at. The answers to your success or failure lies in what are you calling in and who or what is influencing you.
This week has the potential of you feeling overwhelmed. Your emotional waters are meant to be dealt with not to lie in. There are at least two pretty fantastic joys for you this week. You will see them if you let go of negative emotion that are drag you under the water.
Interesting the mate to the Moon is your card this week. Last week, the Moon wanted you to understand that emotions feel as if they rule your life, but in actuality they are just signposts of where your life is at. The High Priestess, the Queen of patterns, cycles and knowledge arrives to help you navigate not only your emotions of the past and your subconscious but to help you connect the dots so you can change karmic patterns. This in its simplest form can be lowering your carbon foot print or in its more complex form mean changing generational karmic patterns (think big patterns in your family or your generation) so not to pass it on to the next.
The Strength card would like you to strengthen your inner core. This can look as simple as doing core stomach exercises to help your back, or as complex as creating mantras that keep the negative thought patterns at bay. The challenge is seeing that inner strength is not as complicated as you think.
It is time to take on a new project this week. The Ace of Pentacles foretells this is an auspicious week to start something new, and if do it this week, it is more likely to come to fruition. Also this will help you not feel as if you are in a rut or dull.
The Chariot continues the theme of the last two weeks – keep moving to create change. This card is the karmic card of momentum and its challenge, it is all in your hands. In its simple form it can look like you wanting to take a vacation – ask your boss for time off and then book it. This card in a more complex form would be something like changing your location or job; you will have to go physically check out places whether that is a new house, a new city or a new place of employment to hand in your resume. The challenge with this card is the Universe is not going to drop something in your lap. You will need to jump in your chariot and go look for or at it yourself. You get this card when the Universe sees you are now ready and able to make this change happen for the positive. It is saying: I’m taking of the training wheels; you got this.
The Four of Cups asks you not to spend too much time gazing at your belly button. You do need to check in with your emotions all this week, but in doing so, don’t stay too long in your internal emotional landscape. Look up and out or you will miss some good loving from the outside.
The Emperor is the card of manifestation, so this is a pivotal week in your material plane. This week work on projects that are already in play. By working with what is instead of what could be will carry you farther in the following weeks.
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