My goal at the beginning of my career was to make a living making art that I’m proud of (…) I’m incredibly grateful to say I’ve made it there!” When it comes to art, there is a certain feeling I want to get. It has to do with the worthwhile gorgeous terrible slog of being alive. It’s impossible to describe it except to make art about it, and this is the art I like. Some of my favourite art that succeeds at giving me this feeling are the comics of Eleanor Davis, the comics of Sophia Foster Domino, and The Distance of The Moon by Italo Calvino. Court cards depict individuals, each embodying the energy of their suit from a slightly different aspect or at a different stage of development. Many readers see court cards as signifiers either for the subject or for other people in the subject’s life, like characters in the story of the reading. The imagery in This Might Hurt references the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot but with lots of modern twists and changes. How did you decide which elements to keep and which to modernise?

All the court cards are real people in my life, and a few other cards. I had a really great time doing these portraits. For each portrait, I selected a person to draw who I felt their personality embodied the best aspects of the archetype. It was beautiful to think of my friends and family this way. The Ten of Cups is about family, but the definition of family here is broad. Many people, especially queer people, find family outside of the one they were born into. Your family may be biological, chosen, or adopted. Your family could be friends, roommates, or your pet lizard. This card encourages you to think about who your family really is. In a reading, the Five of Cups signifies that you, or a person close to you, is wallowing in disappointment. Often this card suggests depression. Despair has left you unable to recognize the opportunities and good things in your life. When you are ready, lift your weary head and see the two upright cups left standing. The Knight of Pentacles is grounded. He has duties and responsibilities, and he is going to live up to them with diligence. With a work ethic like his, he will be successful and find joy in that success. He is reliable and often a perfectionist. I have this theory that all little kids draw. Most people stop at some point. They lose interest, or more likely, they are introduced to the concept of being “good” or “bad” at drawing and decide that they are bad and that this is more important than if they are enjoying it, and they stop drawing. I simply never stopped drawing.

mua bán bài tarot chính hãng giá rẻ uy tín

The key here is balance. I drew myself into this card because I feel like I’m always juggling about a million projects in addition to my social life, relationships, errands, chores, and keeping my cat fat and happy. You absolutely need to balance these disparate elements or else the pentacles will fall to the ground and your juggling act will fall apart.

This is a card about abandonment. It is a card of emotional exhaustion, burnout, and the discovery that something you worked hard for doesn’t bring you fulfillment. Your emotional situation is not working for you. It is not fixable. If the Queen of Cups is someone in your life, you will get a psychic vibe from them instantly. I drew the Queen of Cups as my mom, because she is the kind of person who intuits things about you that you haven’t even figured out about yourself. She is rich in love, smarts, and creativity, and she has probably already figured out how you are feeling about any given thing. When the Five of Wands pops up, you can expect little to go right for you. I often find myself describing a pain-in-the-ass morning of missing my bus, stubbing my toe, and being harassed by strangers as a ‘Five-of-Wands kind of day.’ This card can also suggest that certain groups of people don’t work well together, or aren’t working well together right now.A woman is blindfolded and bound, caged by eight swords. She appears completely trapped by her restraints, but upon closer inspection we see that this metaphorical trap is not inescapable. There is so much she could still do, even with limited sight and movement. I actually based the ropes and the way they are tied on shibari rope bondage, the modern ethical practice of which always leaves the person who is being tied in control. You think you are out of options, but you aren’t. Readings are about forming stories in connection with the subject’s life or question, with each card representing a situation, archetype, or energy. Remember that no card is entirely good or bad. A happy card may also mean boredom. A miserable card usually means a chance to start again. Every card is complex and context dependent. The same card can mean different things to different people, depending on their own relationship to the topic that the card is exploring. If the Queen of Swords reminds you of someone in your life, you can trust her. She will be honest when you need it. She may come off as cold and overly logical sometimes, but she will go to bat for the people she cares about and what she believes is right. Her right hand holds the sword straight up, representing her desire for truth. She opens her left hand to the world. She’s incredibly smart, and you’re never going to get one past her. She’s intimidating as hell, but she’s a friend who you’ll want on your side.

Whatever you have been working for in your emotional life—your relationships, your hobbies, your home—it’s all here, and it’s beautiful. The Nine and Ten of Cups are both about happiness, but I see the Nine as being about internal happiness. I drew the man in this card as a potter because he is creating his own joy. He carries his optimism inside him. He is aware of his blessings.

The Two of Cups is about love! Lasting love that is supportive and heartfelt. Above the two figures are a winged lion and intertwined snakes. The intertwined snakes reference the caduceus of the Greek messenger god, Hermes, and symbolize peace and balance. The winged lion head, meanwhile, symbolizes passion and fire energy. While many refer to the Two of Cups as the ‘marriage’ card, it does not refer exclusively to any permanent commitment. The love the Two of Cups speaks of is life-changing, but will not necessarily last forever. Forever is not a promise any card can make. Instead, she remains in a dreamy state of indecision. If she chooses to pursue one of these options, is she leaving the others behind? Are all of these choices even real options? How will she choose?

The Knight of Cups is ruled entirely by the heart. They are sensitive. They are entirely enamored with romantic love. As Michelle Tea explains in Modern Tarot, the Knight of Cups is in love with the idea of love. While there's nothing wrong with that, in my experience this can become dangerous if the Knight is more swept up in the romance of romance itself, than the person they are supposedly in love with. If you have recently achieved something, the Four of Wands urges you to celebrate. Graduating? Finishing a big project? Falling in love? Revel in your accomplishment and enjoy the moment. For that is a downside to the Four of Wands: this card does not depict a permanent state. This is a card about finishing on a high note. When the Ten of Pentacles appears for you, it affirms that your choices and actions have culminated in material stability. If you are in a Ten of Pentacles position, use your excess wealth for good. If you have a family, consider their future and set them up for success. Be charitable to good causes. How can you help the next generation? The King of Pentacles reigns over leadership, ambition, and generosity. He is rich in material goods, which he accepts without hesitation because he has no doubt that he has earned them. The King of Pentacles fully enjoys the fruits of his labor and delights in the physical aspects of life. Most importantly, the King of Pentacles uses his wealth to enrich the lives of others. He comes by his abundance honestly and gives generously.I chose to draw someone hard at work, after many hours. The chewed pens—our wands—symbolize creative energy. It’s what keeps us going. As a self-employed artist, I connect with this character deeply. In working this hard, he has neglected other aspects of his life, which might include sufficient sleep, a social life, or moments of leisure. Many of the cards are lovingly crafted from portraits of real people in your life. Are there any cards that have special significance to you? This is a card for new jobs, new homes, money coming your way, or a new relationship with your body. It is not a promise that any of these things will work out perfectly for you, but it is an open door. Beneath the godlike hand is a verdant gate. A beautiful garden lies beyond, lush with fruit. Will you go inside? What seeds will you plant there? When the Two of Wands appears in a reading, you need to make a change: start a new project, pursue an opportunity. I affectionately refer to the Two of Wands as ‘the travel card’, because it urges you to go somewhere. Are you feeling like you want to move, switch careers, or further your education? It’s time to get out your map and start plotting the way forward. Sevens are about reflecting upon your situation. The person in this card has paused working to consider his garden’s progress. Your garden is a thought-out investment that is intended to sustain you in the long term. It’s time to observe what you have built so far and ask yourself if you are still on the right path.