Happy Birth-month Pisces.

This week’s artist is Kerry James Marshall. @kerryjamesmarshs Marshall is an artist and professor best known for his mix media portraits of Black America especially around themes and depictions that have been historically omitted from the American and Western Art history.  A mission he calls the “counter-archive” of the painting of black subjects.  ‘Part of what I’m doing in my work is about attending to this absence of black representation in the historical narrative.  But the question is always then, when you put black people in a picture, what should they be doing?’

Marshall answers this question in two ways ideologically and technically.  Ideologically he shows black people going about their day, creating “a sense of simple presence.” ‘Part of my project is to escape this kind of imperative that everything you do as a black person is always about lack. That there’s never a moment in which you have simple pleasure – where you’re just there, where you’re just simply being. And your being is not fraught with all these other layers of historical meaning.’ Though in some of his paintings like The Garden Projects (see Aries and Pisces below) shows us the conundrum between the history of black people in America and his mission.

Technically,  he plays with the color black chromatically.  First in the choice of saturation and then his use of varying shades of black placed  masterfully next to each other.  ‘If you looked at the palette, I was using you’d think, “Well, that’s black, black and black next to each other.” And they don’t look so different. But when I use them in a painting next to each other, the differences become more apparent. Because the iron oxide black is inherently red.  And if you stack that on top of carbon black, it obviously looks red. Or I’ll mix in cobalt blue, a chrome oxide green, an earth tone like raw umber or yellow umber.  What I’m doing is changing the temperature, from cool to warm and warm to cool.”   Not only is his art a master class in color theory and painting but it also makes the viewer think about the color black and how we visually see it in the world.

Cite Apollo article.

Your pondering for the week:  What is color?  What does each color mean to you?  And then when you apply it to a person’s skin does that change its context or that person?

Solar System highlights

This week begins with a new moon in Pisces on Monday – perfect for daydreaming and wandering in the realms of the unconscious and spirit.   On Wednesday it moves into Aries – a great time to start projects.  Then on Friday through the weekend the moon is in Taurus – perfect for working or playing in the outdoors.

Mercury (communication and knowledge) has now moved into Aquarius (innovation and society) – a great time to talk about personal and social change. This should also help Mars in Gemini’s lessons.  For Mars (action) is still in Gemini (communication and knowledge), until March 25^th, 2023.  This is a 7-month stopover instead of it’s usually 1-2.  Mars is pushing us to truthfully talk and follow up with actions.  The challenge with this time is your politeness filter has been switched off.  So, it is having us double down on how to be constructive with our voice – to promote action not reaction.

Venus (beauty and harmony) is in Pisces until Wednesday, so we move from going with the flow to Aries firing up our passion and pushing us to action.  Jupiter (growth) is in Aries until May 16, 2023 – great for manifestation, expansion, and action.  And lastly, Saturn (structures) spends its last weeks in Aquarius until March 7^th – so innovating and modernizing your everyday life is its intention.

 

PS.  Signs with an * it is a big week for you.  Pisces this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And Virgo 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 new tip jar if you want to leave a gratuity for the weekly forecasts.

May light be on you, around you, and within you.  Happy Solstice no tarotcast next week so I’ll “see” you all in 2023.

Nina

Aries

Five of Fire – The unruly currents are still around this week.  Where last week was more anticipatory challenges, this week you are faced with known challenges.  However, you have the Muse of Chaos to guide you through this turbulent time.  Her advice is to take your ego out of the mix.  Some chaos you cannot control but what you can manage is your headspace and your ability to ride them out.  You have done these tasks before; they are more bothersome than detrimental.  So, get out your soul surfboard, calm your mind and ride the waves.

 

Taurus

Seven of Earth – This week is the perfect combination of work and rest.  The Muse of Satisfaction reminds you that the rest after labor can be more satisfying than lazy days’ rest.  She advises that after each focused exertion to equally attend to the blissful moments that that this work has gotten you to.

 

Gemini

Seven of Air – The Muse of Small Steps advises you to simplify your projects into bite size pieces.  By seeing this week incrementally, you are more likely to gain success than by aiming for a broader goal.  Put on your metaphorical “reader glasses” and focus on the minutia.

 

Cancerian

Ace of Earth – This is a great week to start a project, plant something, look for a new way to make money, or learn a new skill.  The Muse of Material Beginnings is here to help organize and fertilize this new project or skillset.

 

Leo

King of Earth – Another productive energy week for you.  The Muse of Construction comes to help you move a project to the next phase.  However, this is not a fly by the seat of your pants kind of week.  The key to this energy is knowing the inventory of the resources needed to do so.  Take time at the beginning of the week to gather what is needed.

 

Virgo

Queen of Earth – The Muse of the Senses would like you to enjoy yours this week.  Her assignment is to find ways to luxuriate in each sense.  So, indulge in saturating smells, sensualizing sight, enchanting your ears, and titillating your tastebuds and touch.

 

Libra

Queen of Fire – The Muse of Practicality advises that it is time to stop theorizing and go do it.  You may have been sitting on an idea or project and this energy is heralding that the time is ripe for action. Go make things happen.

 

Scorpio

*Magician – The Muse of Manifestation would like you to conjure something from your imagination into reality.  You have all the tools necessary for this invocation.  The only caveats are that you will need a connection to the divine and the Force of Will to make it happen.  So, declutter your mind from the “what ifs” so you have a clear link to your imagination and begin creating.

 

Sagittarius

Queen of Water – The Muse of Fun is here with you this week.  This energy usually comes when life has become mundane, and you are finding yourself in an endless repeating cycle of wake-work-sleep.  She recommends finding time to frolic throughout this week.   She wants you to reconnect with the real meaning of life – finding your joy.

 

Capricorn

*Chariot – The Muse of Movement is here to help you focus.  This week supplies tons of to-dos and luckily the universe is giving you the gas to make a run of it.  However, it is solely up to you to have a direction, route, and do all the driving.  So, before this week starts make sure you have mapped out what needs to be done and where you need to go, or you will be doing metaphorical donuts in the parking lot.  And she reminds you rest stops are necessary for any trip so plan those in too.

 

Aquarius

Six of Earth – The Muse of the Ripple Effect has come to visit this week. She comes when you need to be mindful of how you are treating people. As a sign, you all are uber-conscious of being respectful in society; however, this week it is important to bring that mindful kindness to the folks closer to you.  You might find it hard to connect because your mind is elsewhere.   But it would be beneficial to create moments of intimacy and connection not only for your people, but it will ground you too.

 

Pisces

Five of Earth – This week comes with some challenges, but the Muse of Refuge is here to help you.  First, she reminds you that you are not alone, but you will have to put some effort into connecting with people.  Secondly, she reminds you that all of humanity deals with challenges and hardships, so your difficulty is not unique.  She is not trying to  diminish your feelings.  But she just doesn’t want you to isolate yourself while you are having them.  The big lesson with the challenges you will face this week is seeing that people have your back if you let them.