The artist is April Gornik @aprilgornik. Gornik is a landscape artist.  Her oil paintings are usually in a larger format like nature itself.  Her work and writing have me pondering two aspects.  First, she wrote an essay on Visual literacy, which I recommend reading.  She talks in part about the use of the scale and the concept of the viewer in relation to the painting.  She adds how important it is to see art in real time.  Experiencing art, the stroke of the paint, the actual scale of the painting cannot be compared to how we typically view art via media or computer screen.  So as much as I am thankful for you all sharing art with me, go out and see some real art too.

Secondly, if you know me, you know I am a sucker for clouds and landscape art.  Whether it is a painting or photography, natural or urban, I am drawn to it. Especially if it doesn’t have people in it.   So I wonder is my fascination likened to what Gronik says: “I have always loved nature. It’s fundamental to my spiritual being, and helps me locate and define myself in the world, and that is central to my work itself. Nature is everything I am not, the ultimate Other.”  And/Or is it because, urban or natural, it is the act of observation outside of self? Is my landscape as important as the people that surround me?  It portrays my container, my literal backdrop that I walk in, look at and react to.  It is a “player/character” in my story.

Your pondering:  Spend time observing your surroundings, and try plugging your ears, so you can filter it down just to sight.  And go see some real paintings.

 

Solar System highlights

The moon begins in Taurus – time to ground yourself.  Then on Tuesday it moves into Gemini – exchanges of information are highlighted.  Thursday the moon moves into Cancer- self-care is your top priority.  On Saturday the 3^rd it moves into Leo – try to catch some sunlight.  Then on Tuesday August 6^th the moon moves into Virgo – great for organizing and clearing off your desk or checking off to-do lists.  And then it moves into Libra on Thursday the 8^th – focusing on harmony and balance.

Mercury is Leo until July 24 – great for storytelling but the challenge is balancing talking with listening. It will retrograde back into Leo in August so we will have another chance to work on this skill.  On July 25 until August 14^th Mercury will be in Virgo.  This aspect comes to teach us how to be precise and direct in our conversations. The challenge is not to come off too harsh.

And Mercury retrograde is from August 5^th to August 28^th.  Remember this is the universe’s pit-stop.  A great time to recharge, reflect, and redo.  Also, Venus is in Leo until August 4^th where our focus is about being generous in our relationships. Then it moves into Virgo where we can work on being authentic within our relationships and thus ourselves.   And then Mars is in Gemini making sure our actions follow our words.

Jupiter, the planet of abundance and growth, is in Gemini until June of 2025.   This aspect is here to help us work with opportunities to grow and succeed through intellectual, verbal, and written pursuits.  However, we must also watch its challenging aspects:   not following through, gossip, too much information and fickleness.   And lastly Saturn is in Pisces until February 2026 teaching us how to be more fluid and inclusive in our structures.

 

 

EXTRA

*** Signs with an * it is a big week for you.  Leo this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And  Aquarius  it is your halfway mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in, now is the time. And I have a tip jar if you want to leave a gratuity for the tarot & art-casts.

**** I am experimenting.   I have switched from using the older suits name (pentacles, cups, swords, and wands) to a more elemental way of reading them which is earth, water, air, and fire.  Also, I would like to leave the binary and feudal system of the RWS’s court cards.  So, the RWS old version is Page, Knight, Queen, and King is changing to Heart (pure embodiment of element), Body (moving the element), Spirit (living the element) and Mind (taking care of the element).

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

Nina

 

Aries

Six of Water – The next two weeks the Muse of the Past is hanging out with you.  She comes when something in the past must be brought into the present to help you.   This can be revisiting a project you left on the backburner or reconnecting with someone or something from your past.

 

Taurus

Seven of Fire – Now that you have past your tests from the last two weeks.  The next two you get to ride with the Muse of Exhilaration.  Use that energy of success to take on new projects, expand your horizons, or reinforce your boundaries.  This muse reminds you that even though you have work still to do, take in the view of the summit you have scaled.

 

Gemini

*Hermit – The last two weeks were about beginnings.  But now the Muse of Perspective would like you to step back and purview your surroundings and paths to work on getting your zing back. This muse would like you to consciously spend these two weeks with a “two steps forward – one step back” approach.  She asks you not to see the steps back as a backwards or slow momentum, but more as a momentum with thoughtfulness at its core.  She also advises that at times you may need to take some of these perspective breaks away from society to get a clear vision of what to do next.

 

Cancerian

Heart of Earth – The last two weeks the muses had you work on grounding yourself with your everyday chores. Now the Muse of Skill would like you to hone a skill or learn a new one.  This is another form of grounding yourself into the real world, instead of focusing on the societal or emotional aspects that are surrounding you right now.  The muses are working to help you find your core and then expand it in a very focused manner.

 

Leo

Ace of Earth – What great energy to have at the beginning of your new solar year.  Aces always signify a beginning and the muses would like you to start this year in a very grounded and reality-based way.  They ask you what you would like to grow on the material plan.  A new job?  Skill? Project? The challenge is finding something to do that works on the here and now instead of “if/when” scenarios.

 

Virgo

*Strength – I hope you all took the muse advises the last two weeks and lessened your workload.  These next two weeks are going to challenge you to know yourself, your limits, as well as your strengths.  The Muse of Courage is going to stand by you this week to help. And she gives you this quote from Brene Brown: “Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”

 

 

Libra

Ten of Fire – The Muse of Burdens comes when you are taking on too much.  Yes, some things on the list are your responsibility.  But you have added items that others could take over or at least help with. An exercise she suggests is to make a list of what you must do and prioritize it.  Take of the last two items and throw them away.  Then work on the first four items to completion.  Then you can work on the next four.  And remember to ask for help when you need it.  This period is not a journey you should do alone.

 

Scorpio

Four of Fire – The Muse of Happy Home has come to work with you during these next two weeks.  She would like you to focus on your home and tweak it, so it is more comfortable and comforting.  Yes, that means things like getting new décor and bringing more nature elements into your home are important.  And remember color can affect mood.  So, surround yourself in the colors that bring the energy you want, like yellows and reds for energy or blue and green for calming.

 

Sagittarius

Four of Water – The Muse of Belly Button Gazing is your companion for the come two weeks.  She would like you to spend three quarters of your time working within and the last quarter of your time playing outside of yourself.  Use these weeks to contemplate and come up with solutions, and then test it out in the world.  She reminds you that this inner and outwork is cycle that feeds itself, so you need both.

 

Capricorn

*Devil – These next two weeks the Muse of the Wild comes to help you un-tame yourself.  This energy is one of your lifelong lessons of interplay and dynamics between wilding and domesticating yourself.  You need the wild to push boundaries and expand, but you also need structure and regulations to bring the wild into productivity.  So, examples are camping, collecting wild mushrooms, bungee jumping, white water rafting, or doing something that has no goal or product.  The key is seeing that the unpredictable, surprise or the rush can come in many forms without sweeping you away.

 

Aquarius

Five of Air – All fives are energies of chaos, and the air element is chaos that begins in the mind.  The Muse of Ego has come to help you navigate this energy for this period.  She reminds you that the key to traversing this chaos is letting go of trying to control it.  Your ego is in play by either feeling that you are responsibility to control all aspects of a situation, or you feeling you have failed though you had no control in the first place.  Let go of the ego and the chaos will flow past you.

 

Pisces

*Chariot – The Muse of Self Momentum comes when you need to take control of a situations and propel it to either its destination or further down the path.  This muse does supply the energy, however not the direction or steps to getting there.  The keys to working with this energy are knowing where you are going and where to have rest stops to refuel along the way.  Examples are making your lunches at the beginning of the week, confirming all appointments, visualizing the finished project, writing goals on your calendar, prioritizing your to-do list etc.… If you have no destination by the end of this period you will end up doing metaphorical donuts in the parking lot of life.