Transform - A print of change

A new take on the death tarot card.

The leaves fall, flesh becomes bone, petal becomes soil, and it becomes new life. The Death Card in the tarot isn’t about a true and physical death. It’s a transformation.

The snake sheds its skin to grow, and we shed old stories to become our new selves. When you pull this card, you are calling on generations of ancestors to help you grow. To help you transform. It’s a new season. Whether it’s easy and beautiful, or difficult and frightening, now is the time.

The veil is thin; you can feel the energy of slipping dimensions. You can feel the ground slipping away. Circling through onto the endless spiral path. It isn’t a time to escape. It’s time to let the dizzy spiral take you. It’s time to smell the flowers, let them decay, and let the flesh turn to bone. An idea turns to liquid in your hands. Don’t fear the changes. Come spring, you are transformed, new energy, a new life will awaken.

Never look at the death card the same way again.

I’m taking a printmaking class through University of Wisconsin-Superior this semester. This was my second project. It’s an idea that came to me this time last year, but I could never figure out to use it. I just kept the design in my mind an sketchbook until the right time appeared. When we were talking about our second drypoint project I knew this was the design. It came together with some photoshop and lots of patients with the process. Will I ever do this type of printmaking ever again? Probably not. Do I love this project? Yes! It’s sparked some ideas around perhaps making more tarot designs in printmaking style. Perhaps in linocut fashion as I am currently loving that process.