The Bird People Tarot deck continues to move forward. If I accomplish nothing else in my lifetime, this deck will get done. And it will get printed.

Thought I'd share a little bit of my process with these cards since it's been a bit since I posted last. I do the backgrounds for these cards completely separate from the collage part of the cards. I start to get to know the backgrounds as their own paintings. I do about a dozen or so cards at a time which takes about one to two weeks. After the cards have dried and I feel like they’re “finished”, I put the cards away and don’t look at them for a couple weeks. I usually start working on something completely different so when I take them out again, I can remain objective about which ones stay or go. Then it’s time to concentrate on the collage aspect which requires me to exist in a whole different zone in order to get that part of the cards accomplished. In short, all this takes a lot longer than I’d like it to, but this is how my brain wants it. To overcomplicate everything.

Even though it’s been slow going at times, I’ve learned so much about myself and the art of Tarot while working on this deck which has been a super unexpected reward. Happy summer everyone!

Upright Meanings:
Abundance
Enlightenment
Sincerity
Creative self-expression
Self-control

Reversed Meanings:
Unrewarding
Delusions of grandeur
Bluff, facade
Boasting, bragging
Negative thinking

Upright Meanings:
Self-protective
Ambivalent
Prejudice
Dangerous times
Tension

Reversed Meanings:
Treachery
A duel
Facing your feelings
Decisions made
Renewed action

Upright Meanings:
Feeling trapped
Intellectual imprisonment
Isolation
Slights and insults from all
Constraint

Reversed Meanings:
Release
Overcoming fear
Small success in midst of misfortune
Liberated
Not gullible

Today's studio closeup is a Northwest otter "exhibit". The materials used are acrylic paint on wood panel, varnish, paper diorama and stones & sticks from the real world. The piece itself is 4in x 4in and I think that's the smallest I'm going to go in regards to the pieces in the museum series. In contrast, I'm current working on a 24in x 24in piece and I'm speculating that will be the largest dimension I go for these pieces. I get freaked out working big, and you need more paint ($$$) to cover such a large surface but I'm trying to test my comfort zone in such matters. I still prefer to work on the smaller side. For some reason it's far less intimidating for me.

The first photo is of the painting as a whole and the second photo is of the diorama that lives inside.

Please enjoy.

For today's studio closeup piece, I envisioned I was in front of a large body of water; a place that makes me truly feel like a whole person again. You'd think that would have changed ever since there was a large body of water that suddenly surrounded my house in 2018, but all those summers on Washington Island WI, and growing up near Lake Michigan where my parents, sister and I spent many summers on the lakefront swimming, sailing and playing - well, I more than miss it. Creating this piece really took me to a better time and place.

Museum Series: Herring Seagull - 6"x 6" - Acrylic, Wood Panel and Paper Diorama

First photo is of piece as a whole. The second photo is of the diorama that will live inside.

To keep me working and focused and not procrastinating, festering about the world or spiraling into a deep dark depression, I'm going to attempt to give myself deadlines here to keep making art and music. Those things have been the only thing holding me together for quite a while now.

Wednesday's will become "Studio Closeup" days featuring art that I am working on or past art pieces that survived the 2018 flood (by remaining upstairs) that collapsed our entire basement. All the artwork I've ever done in my life was stored down there, including all the animation "cels" and films I had made since I was 11. Stories for other times.

In addition, I will also be starting "Music Monday's" of material I have been recording. These will be known as the "Carolaoke Files" so please stay tuned for that as well.

Today's studio closeup is part of the "museum series" I have been working on for 4 years now. These paintings will house paper dioramas and vintage slides inside the pieces.

Museum Series: Rock Wren - 4"x 4" - Acrylic, Paper and Wood Panel

First photo is of piece as a whole. The second photo is of the diorama that will live inside.