Tag Archives: art

Tarot-Cast for Week of July 8, 2018

This week’s artist is Josef Florian Krichbaum.  The definition of quirky is characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits.  Quirky is exactly what I love about JFK’s art.  Each painting has something unexpected, a twist of a foot, a dog looking directly at the viewer with a paw in mid-step, or the theme of over-sized headdress.  There is a sense of awkwardness but also a sense of joy.  In short his paintings make me smile.

Quirkiness or more precisely a joyful unexpectedness is what makes me smile in my own life.  An unexpected outcome is the part of what makes a good joke. Or unexpected scenarios bring joy – like when a child hugs you “just cuz”, your partner gives you a hand-picked flower, a dragonfly sits upon your toe, or even a stranger says Hi.

The unexpectedness, good or bad, seems to give things more energy.  Hence, we try to control the unexpected bad by doing what is expected or planning every moment of our lives. However, this over planning and social conformity stops us from having moments of unexpected joy and creates shame for our own quirks.  I challenge you to allow and highlight the quirky or unexpected joy in your life. Whether that is spontaneously doing something joyfully unexpected, or proudly let your freak flag unfurl. I expect that this will make you smile.

P.S. Please share.  I’ve add more works from Josef Krichbaum and please go to his website his sketches are also so cool.   Also, I have add quotes to your forecast and put up another quote to download for your vision board.  Enjoy.

Aries – Two of Cups

Last week the Magician challenged you to experiment and see that the key to success are learning and building on your mistakes.  This week continues that theme with the focus shifting to relationships.  The solution is not so much learning from past mistakes but finding new ways to connect. Remember unconditional love is to truly seeing and saying  I like you just the way you are – Mister Rodgers.

 

Taurus – Queen of Wands

The Queen of Wands embodies spiritual creativity.  Your challenge is being mindful of what you create.  She asks- What are you communicating with your creation?  Will it improve the world? That challenge is daunting unless you remember the quote from Mother Theresa- I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.
Continue reading Tarot-Cast for Week of July 8, 2018

Tarot-cast for Week of July 1, 2018

Bathing 1911 Duncan Grant 1885-1978 Purchased 1931 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/N04567

Bathing was painted in the summer of 1911 by Duncan Grant.  It was part of a decorative scheme, “London on Holiday” for the dining room of Borough Polytechic, London.  He was influenced by Michelangelo’s male nudes and the summers he spent at the Serpentine in Hyde Park, a site at the time associated with gay culture.  I love it because even though it shows seven separate figures, it also represents the continuous motion of a single figure swimming.

I also choose this painting for the beginning of July, not only for its representation summer and my favorite pastime swimming, but it also brings to light how the gay community has grown to include a large group.  If you have read my blog for a while, you know I’m not big on singling out a group for celebration for just a time period, like black history month or gay pride day.   I think that when we really evolve as a society, we will not solely highlight a month or a day to celebrate a group or movement.

However I would like to point out that the “gay movement” seems to have grasped this idea and evolved to now be named LGBTQ2+.  And even though June 28th does represent a very important day in queer movement history, Gay Pride is celebrated around the world on a variety of days and showcases a variety colors or the rainbow.  That is the beauty of this movement it is about inclusion not isolation.  It celebrates love.  So like this painting there can be many individuals but the movement or action is perceived in the joining.

 

P.S. Please share.  Below are more of Duncan’s work.

*Aries – Magician

Take this week to experiment and bring your amazing imagination into the real world.  The challenge is to let yourself experiment and know that the key to success is learning and building on your mistakes.

 

 

Taurus – Page of Swords

The Page of Swords is the most inquisitive of the cards.  When it comes into a reading it means that you need to listen and ferret out information before putting anything into action.  So your challenge this week is to ask question and really listen to the answers you get.  You will need this information in the coming weeks.

 

Gemini – Two of Cups

The Two of Cups is about exploring relationships.  Sometimes you do so well by yourself you forget to invite other people into your life.  The challenge this week to get to know someone better or create some romance in your life.

 

 

Cancer – Seven of Pentacles

South of France 1922 Duncan Grant 1885-1978 Presented by the Contemporary Art Society 1929 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/N04443

The “building” energy of June continues this week with the Seven of Pentacles.  This card represents the work that needs to be done.  This week is best spent working on the projects that you have already begun.

 

*Leo – Wheel

Artist : John Baird (Australia, b.1902, d.1986)<br /> Title :<br /> Date : -1954<br /> Medium Description: oil on canvas on paperboard<br /> Dimensions :<br /> Credit Line : Purchased 1954

The Wheel foretells there will be opportunities this week that can change your fate.  The challenge is engaging in the variety of opportunities without putting all you faith in one basket or outcome. Spin the wheel often.

 

Virgo – Nine of Pentacles and Page of Swords

These two cards tell you that you will feel more informed if you keep to yourself or only hang with a chosen few.  Do not listen to the general public their information is not helpful to you this week.  Heed your own counsel.

 

*Libra – Star

Oh you needed this card after the past couple of weeks.  The Star is the card of healing and hope.  Take this week to pull away a bit and heal.  Your challenge is allowing the time to heal.  If you do, you will gain the hope and insight you will need to carry on with a lighter load.

 

 

*Scorpio – Temperance

James Strachey 1910 Duncan Grant 1885-1978 Purchased 1947 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/N05765

The Hanged Man card told you to sit back and enjoy the slow lane last week.  And now Temperance is here to increase the pace, but your challenge is not to increase the pressure.   This week your lessons are around moderation and taking the time actually needed to complete your tasks.  Do not go by the time or pace dictated by others but the one you know that will produce the best product.

 

Sagittarius – Ten of Cups

Dancers circa 1910-11 Duncan Grant 1885-1978 Bequeathed by Sir Edward Marsh through the Contemporary Art Society 1953 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/N06181Last week, The Empress challenged you to grow by knowing what to sow, where to sow it and how to tend to it for the longer haul.  This week continues that theme, but with the caveat that the end result should include creating joy.  So your challenge is to be more of the wild horse this week then the human part of yourself.  Run or drive with the wind blowing through your mane/hair.

 

Capricorn – Queen of Cups

The Queen of Cups focuses again on your emotions this week.  Where last week the Page wanted you to play, the Queen wants you to pull from all your emotions to create.  This week you might find that you can be pushed emotionally by outside sources.  The challenge is to see that each of these encounters is a way to interact with and use your deeper emotions – think emotional alchemy.  Overall, this card wants you to make friends with your heart.

 

*Aquarius – Justice

The Mantelpiece 1914 Duncan Grant 1885-1978 Purchased 1971 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/T01328The Justice card tells you that in the long view all things will balance out fairly in the end.  The challenge this week is keeping your emotions off the scale during the process.  Rely on the facts and your logic this week.

 

 

Pisces – Knight of Cups

Grant, Duncan; Still Life with a Staffordshire Figure and a Wine Bottle; Charleston; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/still-life-with-a-staffordshire-figure-and-a-wine-bottle-73829The Knight of Cups asks you to create some movement in your emotional life.  However, the challenge with this knight is not to wear your heart on your sleeve while doing so.  You can kick around in your emotional waters but don’t swim to the deep end.

 

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

Nina

 

Tarotcast for the week of June 17, 2018

Ende illuminated manuscript

Happy solstice, summer to those of you on the northern hemisphere and winter on the southern side.  In honor of the illumination of half of Earth,  I picked the art of Illuminated manuscripts.  In its truest form, it is manuscripts that are gilded with gold or silver.  However, it has expanded to all text that are illustrated from the 6th century to the late 14th in Europe.  The amazing thing about this work is these are our first picture books.

Above is an example of Illuminated art, that is unique for it is illustrated by a woman, Ende.  She helped illustrated the  illuminations of the Apocalyptic Visions of St. John the Divine in the Book of Revelations in the Mozarabic style in the late 900’s. This style is heavily influenced by Islamic art forms on geometry, rich color, ornamented grounds and stylized figures.   Illuminating manuscripts were typical done by monks; however, she most likely was a nun.

There are two other hands discernible in these group of manuscripts.   It was a typical process that each individuals did a certain type of illustration for the work, but no others signed these sheets. She signed the work as DEPINTRIX (painter) and DIE AIUTRIX (helper of God).  Was her signature meant to illuminate more than its pictures?

P.S. I have added examples of this type of work from a variety of periods.  Please share.

Aries – Seven of Swords

Undated Sotheby's handout photo of King Arthur fighting the Saxons from The Rochefoucauld Grail, in French, illuminated manuscript on vellum, c.1315-23, which is estimated to sell for £1,500,000ñ2,000,000, when it will be offered in Sotheby's London sale of Western Manuscripts and Miniatures on 7th December, 2010. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Thursday November 11, 2010. The illuminated 14th century manuscript containing what is believed to be the oldest surviving account of the legends of King Arthur is to be sold for up to £2 million, it was announced today. The Rochefoucauld Grail, a colourful, illustrated account of the knights of the round table, Merlin and the Holy Grail is said to be one of the finest medieval texts in private hands. It is due to be sold by auction house Sotheby's in London for a price estimated between £1.5 million and £2 million. See PA story SALE Manuscript. Photo credit should read: Sotheby's/PA Wire<br /> Copyright in this image shall remain vested in Sotheby's. Please note that this image may depict subject matter which is itself protected by separate copyright. Sotheby's makes no representations as to whether the underlying subject matter is subject to its own copyright, or as to who might hold such copyright. It is the borrower's responsibility to obtain any relevant permissions from the holder(s) of any applicable copyright and Sotheby's supplies this image expressly subject to this responsibility. Note that the image is provided for a one-time use only and no permission is granted to alter this image in any way.

The Seven of Swords is about taking responsibility for your actions. Of course, we should do this all the time, but when getting this card this week your challenge will be around being aware of the reverberation of your actions.

Taurus – King of Pentacles

The King of Pentacles is the mini version of the Emperor.  This week is about building your empire whether that is your business, your home, or your home-life.  The question is:  are you happy with what you are building?  If not take this week to reassess what you need to do to feel “self”-made.

Gemini – Five of Cups

Last week the Devil arrived for your birth month. This card came to show you the coming year will bring in your last act to the old, and  begin a new life or evolution.  This year will challenge to stay focus on your path and stand firm on who you are or want to be.  So for this week the Five of Cups arrived to have you go through the emotions of letting go of the old way of life.  This card reminds you that you need to go through a mourning period for the past before you move on to a brighter future.

Cancer – Ten of Pentacles

The “building” energy of the past two weeks continues this week with the Ten of Pentacles.  But this card reminds you that it is as important to enjoy what you build as much as building it.

 

Leo – King of Wands

The King of Wands challenges you this week with a question to answer or maybe a demand:  How can you increase the creativity and passion to your work this week?

 

Virgo – Four of Wands

This week the Four of Wands recommends spending time at home or under the shade of an oak tree. This is the card of comfort, coziness, and a sense of well-being.  The only challenge with this card is seeing the little details of life are as important as the big things.

Libra – Five of Pentacles

The Five of Pentacles challenges us to ask for help when we are low in energy, funds, or resources.  This card shows up to remind us when we are exhausted the first thing you need to do is stop and realize that you are, and then look to a peaceful space or friends for help.

Scorpio – Queen of Swords

It is another week of strategizing and preparing with the Queen of Swords.  This queen is the personification of strategy and communication.  The better prepared you are at what to say this week the easier the week will flow.  Watch your words.

 Sagittarius – Ace of Pentacles

The Ace of Pentacles foretells new beginnings on the material plane.  This is a great week to plant something, to start a project, or invest in your future.  Things grow from each thing you do this week.

 

Capricorn – Six of Swords

The Six of Swords challenges you to do some conscious exploration this week.  Whether that is in your world or in your mind, pay attention to what surrounds you.  The challenge is to take note or pocket those things or thoughts that grab and then keep your attention.  You will find them useful trinkets for future wanderings.

Aquarius – Eight of Pentacles

Last week the Magician challenged you to experiment with new things.  This week is the opposite with the Eight of Pentacles.  This card advises you to spend this week honing your craft.  The challenge is to only spend time on things you already are good at.  Keep your magpie quality of collect and trying new bright and shine things at bay.

Pisces – Seven of Cups

Last week, the Judgment card challenged you to be a more evolved and thoughtful you.  This week takes on a lighter tone with the Seven of Cups.  Sevens are the cards of explanation and contraction.  This card has you explore how your dreams can expand or contract your future.  We have a tendency to unrealistically dream or dream to small.  The best advice with this card is to dream just out of reach, so with a bit of effort you will obtain your goals this week.

 

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

Nina

 

Tarot-cast for the Week of June 3, 2018

Ornitographies by Xavi Bou

Above is the art project Ornitographies by Xavi Bou.  It is a study of birds in motion within a single time frame, making visible the invisible.  This series investigates the unnoticed movements and questions the limits of human perception of time.  Unlike the movement and scientific studies of Eadweard Muybridge and Etienne-Jules Marey  Xavi’s pieces feel more organic, more flowing. His images show the flow of movements of past, present and future.

To me these are a visual representation of zazen.  The goal of zazen is just sitting, suspending judgmental thinking and letting the words, ideas, images and thoughts pass by without getting involved in them.   It is about experiencing the whole concept of life without judgment in each moment.  Sounds simple but I have found it super hard.  As I watch my kitten playing with his mouse, I realize he is one of my teachers of this practice.  May you have a lovely week my friends.

P.S. Please share.

Aries – Knight of Swords

Ornitographies by Xavi BouLast week you had the theme ‘beauty adorns virtue”  This week continues that theme with the Knight of Swords  This card suggest that you slow down and take time to smell the roses. Be in each moment.

Taurus – Four of Wands

Ornitographies by Xavi BouThe artist last week asked you to pay attention to the details. The Four of Wands wants you to focus on the details in your home.  Focus on the how to create more harmony in your home.  Whether that is adding a calming color or adding some pop, remember harmony does not equate to uniformity.

Gemini – Three of Swords

Ornitographies by Xavi BouThe painting last week was about standing up for you rights, even if it is seems hopeless.  And that beauty arises outside the realm of judgment.  The Three of Swords extends this theme by having you deal with three self-defeating thoughts.  Your challenge is  look at the reason of why you carry around these thoughts through a lens of self-compassion.

*Cancer – Emperor

Ornitographies by Xavi BouThe artist’s theme last week was about being aware that you do not have control over reality, but you can nudge it towards your favor. And so the Emperor extends this thought for another week by having you add to and build upon the reality you are in.  This can look as simple you have to go to work but can you manipulate the time or space that you do it in.

Leo – Eight of Wands

Ornitographies by Xavi BouLast week’s art theme was to see parody(humor) in your life.  The Eight of Wands continues that theme of bring in and accepting the positive even joyful energy in your life. Arms and minds open.

*Virgo – Hermit

Ornitographies by Xavi BouDulle Griet’s hinted about being a bit devilish or against the social norm last week.  The Hermit would like you to continue the exploration of the outer edges of societies’ norms, but in theory with meditation and reflection.  This is a favorite card of Virgo, for this is a lifelong challenge of balancing your social and solo sides. The challenge with this card is not to seek solitude out of a reaction of being over social but to be proactive about scheduling your need of space and time to decompress. And the bigger challenge is do it without guilt.

Libra – Four of Pentacles

Ornitographies by Xavi BouLast week your challenge was to met people outside of your normal wanderings.  This week the Four of Pentacles takes an about-face from the emotional realm to the physical one.  Your goal is to save time, money and space anywhere you can.  Your challenge is not to feel selfish about it.

Scorpio – Six of Pentacles

Ornitographies by Xavi BouLast week your challenge was two-fold, taking on a challenge and proving the “haters” wrong.  This week, the Six of Pentacles’ lesson is around the “give and take” in your life.  The goal is lowering your input to people or work that you are not getting something positive in return.  The challenge is to do it without them noticing.

*Sagittarius – Judgment

Ornitographies by Xavi BouLast week your painting was about finding and bonding with your inner horse.  The Judgment card challenges you to create a ritual or rite of passage that moves you on to the next act of your life.  This can be as simple as lighting a candle and blowing it out to release the old, or as complex as burning all your old journals.

*Capricorn – Tower

Ornitographies by Xavi BouThe art last week challenged you to see the boundaries you may be holding on to around your passions or your way of life.  The Tower comes this week to break down those walls if you haven’t already.  The Tower comes to shake things up because something you have not been dealing with and that doesn’t work, needs to change.  The best way to deal with this card is to stand back and enjoy the destruction.

Aquarius – Five of Swords

Ornitographies by Xavi BouThe painting last week advised you to see that your history or past experiences are useful in the present whether you see it or not.  The Five of Swords this week continues this theme by challenging you that you can learn more from your mistakes and failures then you can from your successes.

Pisces – Four of Cups

Ornitographies by Xavi BouLast week’s painting suggested to come at your life with softer edges.  This theme continues with the Four of Cups this week.  This card is the card of self-compassion and empathy.  To see the world, its people and yourself without sharp edges.

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

Nina

 

Tarot-cast for the Week of May 27, 2018

Night Rain on Oyama by Utagawa Toyokuni II
Night Rain on Oyama by Utagawa Toyokuni II

This tarotcast is an experiment with my casting for the week and art.  Usually I pull cards and then cast about for the art to go with the general energies of that week.  This week I am going in the opposite direction and letting the art take the lead.  I think the arts were born under the sign of Gemini.  Gemini is the first sign in which we work on how and why we communicate with the world.  Art is a place where we try to create, experiment and communicate with something outside ourselves to convey what is going on inside ourselves.

So this tarotcast I’m going to let the art solely express your goals, challenges, energies that surround you.  I will add a tidbit about the painting that I find relevant to the piece or energy of your cast.  This is exercise in mindfulness, of truly experiencing a piece of art. I challenge you to dive deep into each piece and ask how does this makes me feel and see what thoughts it brings to the surface.  Like the sign of the Gemini where the twins peer at each other, looking for similarities and differences, so does the exercise of experiencing art.  The artist is the twin to the piece and then the piece becomes the twin to the viewer.  Art challenges us to look in to it and truly see ourselves – our common humanity through time and space.

P.S. I have also put links for each piece if you want to dive deeper into the art or artist. Please share.

Aries- Ginervra de’ Benci by Leonardo da Vinci 1475

twin

On the back side of this portrait he painted VIRTVTEM FORMA DECORAT (“beauty adorns virtue”)

Taurus–  Portrait of Paolo Morgia by Fede Galizia, 1595

Fede was well-known as a portrait painter by the age of twelve. She was meticulous in her attention to detail look at the reflection of the glasses in his hand, they reflect a window not seen.

*GeminiPortrait d’une negresse by Marie-Guillemine Benoist 1800

Six years previously slavery was abolished in France, though short-lived, so this image became the symbol for woman’s emancipation and black people’s right.

Cancer – Early Moonrise, Florida by George Inness 1893

Inness was known for interpreting rather than recording natures views, moving away from the Hudson River School artists’ transcriptions of nature.   According to Inness “you can suggest reality…you cannot paint reality.”

Leo – Stay High 149 aka Wayne Roberts 197?

He was a superstar in the underground up and coming graffiti scene of the 1970’s.  This piece is a parody on the British television show The Saint.

Virgo – Dulle Griet by Pieter Bruegal the Elder, 1565

Dulle Griet also known as Mad Meg, in Flemish folklore who leads an army of woman to pillage Hell.  Her mission refers to the proverb “She could plunder in front of hell and return unscathed.”

LibraLe Pont del Europe by Gustave Caillebotte, 1881

The three prominent characters in this portrait are theorized as a  representation of the three classes of Parisians who normally not met in society but do on this bridge.

*Scorpio – Carousel in Santa Monica by David Michael Hinnebusch 2006

In 2006, a friend of the artist, who didn’t like Hinnebusch’s art on found materials, took him shopping at the art store. He bought $2,000 US worth of Golden Acrylics, brushes and 10 large canvases and this is one of the painting that came out of that excursion.

Sagittarius – Personnages aux Chevaux, Characters with Horses, by Marcelle Cahn  1935

Was one of the few female artist in 1930’s associated with the movement Abstraction-Creation, which was a counteract to the Surrealist movement.

Capricorn – Closed Gallery by Robert Barry 1969

Closed Gallery consisted of three invitations to gallery shows in Amsterdam, Turin, and Los Angeles printed on simple white cards. They informed the recipients that during the exhibition, the gallery would be closed. “It’s the purest form of this notion of what the physicality of art is and what art is really all about. One doesn’t need to even have the gallery space”, said David Platzker, who sent out numerous announcement cards worldwide, each saying simply “During the exhibition the gallery will be closed”.

 

Aquarius La Rue du Soleil,  Port Vendres by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, 1926

Charles started his career as an architect and was influential in the Art Nouveau and Secessionism.  He abandoned it later and focused solely on painting watercolors later in life.  Though like the reflection of the buildings in the water you can still see buildings are still in his mind.

Pisces – Summon Up by Frederick Hammersley, 1958

He wrote that “hard-edge is often very hard to take, coming to the cold or even to the practiced eyed.”

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

Nina

 

Tarot-cast for Week of May 20, 2018

rock garden of chandigarh

The Rock Garden of Chandigarh is a sculpture garden in Chandigarh, India.  It was started in secret by Nek Chand, a government official in 1957. He worked in his spare time, may times at night, bicycling his materials into the forest, an kept it secret until 1976.  since it was on public land the authorities wanted to tear it down, however, locals fought for his creations. He won and was hired by the government to continue his work with a crew of 50 workers. Today it is spread over an area of 40 acres. The entire project was built from industrial and home waste and thrown-away items.

I just love this story and its creation.  It started from a man who saw all this destruction and waste and he decided to create something magical.  This is an amazing trait of humans and to create beauty out of what others consider trash. A trait that is useful in building up our resilience but also creates a bit of magic in our lives.

P.S. Please share.

Aries- Six of Cups

rock garden of chandigarhLast week the Tower challenged you to let go of needing to control change and to subtly navigate it by shifting your stance.  This week the Six of Cups continues the theme by having you look back in to your history for clues on how to deal with this change.

Taurus– Nine of Swords

rock garden of chandigarhThe Nine of Swords is the card of worry.   Worry can be helpful when you use it to prepare for the future or to re-think about your past.  However, the challenge with this card is to know when worry becomes nothing but thoughts that have no objective or conceives a useful action.  This week be aware where your worries take you. Continue reading Tarot-cast for Week of May 20, 2018

Tarot-cast for Week of May 6, 2018

Ellsworth Kelly

Above is the artwork, Colors for a Large Wall, by Ellsworth Kelly. Kelly covered 64 square canvas in a single color and then randomly fused them together to become a bigger piece.  This was the beginning of his life-long inquiry that paintings were objects within themselves. This painting became the seed for many of his future pieces juxtaposing panels of different size, shapes and colors in to countless variations of work.

Kelly once said that ..if you can turn off the mind and look only with the eyes ultimately everything becomes abstract. I would also add that paradoxically it becomes simpler.  That by turn off the mind both abstract and simplicity can hold a unique form of beauty and peace.

P.S. Please share.

Aries- Four of Swords

Ellsworth KellyScience says that rest is a valuable component of your health regime and the Four of Swords recommends you will need it.  The Four of Swords also challenges you actually to not push anything through this week.

Taurus- Two of Cups

Ellsworth KellyThe Two of Cups recommends applying your energy to deepen your close relationships.  Our emotions are set into memory with our senses. So look in your love ones’ eyes, breathe in their scent, touch them with love, and listen to their feelings behind their words. Continue reading Tarot-cast for Week of May 6, 2018