How the Journey Deck came into existence

Forewards

I believe it's important to begin this narrative by providing further context about my evolution as an artist. My journey wasn't always imbued with the creative spirit and mindset I have today. Prior to attending art school at the College for Creative Studies, I was convinced that formal education was my key to the wider world. My proficiency in technical realism had secured me a significant scholarship, reinforcing my confidence in this path.

However, upon starting art school in the city of Detroit, I experienced an immediate shift. My vibrancy and passion for life seemed to fade, a development I misinterpreted as a natural part of growing up. As my time in school progressed, my emotional wellbeing took a severe hit, eventually leading me to seek help. The prescribed medications did offer some relief, but at the cost of numbing my emotions entirely.

By my third year, I had reached a breaking point. I remember returning from winter break feeling so overwhelmed with pain that I felt I needed to leave.

Shortly after I left school, the world was swept up in the COVID-19 pandemic, and violent riots erupted on the streets outside the apartment I had abandoned in Detroit. My struggle didn't end when I left school. I continued trying an array of prescribed medications, none that benefited my well being.

Around this time, some clinics were exploring Ketamine injections as a potential treatment. This horse tranquilizer, championed by Big Pharma, was oddly considered more beneficial than traditional psychedelics. I found myself on the wait-list for this experimental treatment, only to discover that due to internal bureaucracy, only one doctor was permitted to administer it in the clinic (it wasn’t my doctor).

Receiving my Medical Marijuana card marked a turning point, and I weaned myself off all prescribed medications. Instead, I opted for a personal healing journey using plant medicine such as psychedelic mushrooms.

The curiosity I gained while taking the plant medicine led me to the Monroe Institute, where I delved into the world of energy work as understood by the CIA. This venture served as my entry point into the enigmatic world of the occult and esoteric ideologies. Despite the CIA's attempt to demystify these concepts, they had to acknowledge the authenticity of various beliefs and ideas tied to a specific structure and underlying principle.

During this period of transformation, I found myself in a daily state of meditation, receiving and internalizing the mysteries of the Universe. It was my initiation into a higher consciousness that was previously unknown to me. Even though I could foresee eventual happiness and fulfillment, I felt emotionally hollow.  

The Creation of Journey Tarot

In a period of profound confusion, heartache, and uncertainty about my professional trajectory, I found myself yearning for clarity. This led me to Etsy, in search of an astrological report – something I had never sought before, an act sparked purely by curiosity. The report was insightful, yet it left my burning question unanswered: what was the next step in my career?

It was around my birthday, July 3rd, in 2022, and I was a 23-year-old grappling with the emotional loss of a cherished friend. Caught in a paradox, I felt like I had reached a dead end, yet, simultaneously, possibilities seemed to gush forth, too swiftly to be grasped. I was ensnared by indecision, yearning for a beacon of insight. In my search for answers, I reached out directly to the astrological reader, Katie from BirthChart. Her response was unassuming yet profound - she suggested that I consider creating a Tarot Deck. Intriguingly, this mirrored a thought I had been entertaining just the night before. 

The world of tarot is intriguingly complex, with numerous theories about its roots. The Rider-Waite deck is often the first point of reference for many. Regardless of its origins, one truth remains: tarot encapsulates archetypal descriptions of consistent categories within being.

As I navigated the world of tarot, I noted the thriving community of artists creating personal interpretations of the deck. Many leaned towards adaptations of the Rider-Waite deck. But rather than follow the well-trodden path, I was drawn to a less conventional approach. Despite understanding traditional symbology and its implications, I was intrigued by the idea of creating a deck that didn't rely heavily on these symbols.

My journey into the creation of this deck began with the sketching of the Fool card, an image of a character climbing into a hammock. This depiction was not only symbolic of my embarkation on this tarot creation journey, but also represented something universally significant: the journey of consciousness venturing into the realms of the unconscious. Thus, the creation of the Journey tarot deck commenced, marking the start of a personal exploration.

The creation of my first card was purely exploratory. I wasn't entirely sure of the visual language I wanted my deck to communicate. With only 12 markers to work with, I operated within a rather limited color palette. This initial phase was filled with trial and error until I found a footing with the Three of Swords - the very first card I chose to create for the deck.

Immersing myself in the creation of this deck became a cathartic experience, demanding nearly six to eight hours of daily devotion over eight months.

Each morning, I allowed the mood of the day to guide my choice of card. I then brought the chosen card to life without prior sketches, thumbnails, or drafts. The piece you see reflects the raw and unedited emotion of the day. Despite sketching in pencil, I rarely erased anything until post-inking. After outlining the sketch with a .005 Micron, I would add color. At any given time, I would have one card ready for coloring and another awaiting inking. 

As I would complete 10 or 15 cards, I would take a trip to the Pittsburgh's Blick to purchase and explore new colors in my work. Now at the end, I have amassed nearly 60 markers, a number that would bewilder my past self.

A notable milestone during this journey was the acquisition of the Thoth tarot deck, the only gift I wished for Christmas. Intrigued by the mystique of Aleister Crowley and Lady Frida Harris, I eagerly explored their work. To my astonishment, I found striking parallels, particularly in the color palette, between their deck and my own. Enamored by their creation, I delved into the wealth of knowledge shared by Crowley and the Rosicrucians about the deck - a fascinating journey into Hermeticism, Egyptian mythology, the Qabalah, and more. 

Such age-old wisdom serves as my muse, emboldening me to explore creative liberties. The pursuit of truth, to me, is inherently personal. As I created my deck, I continually reminded myself that it was not a medium to propagate my beliefs but a tool for others to navigate their own spiritual journey.

Afterwords 

The culmination of my tarot deck was akin to a spiritual unburdening. Now that I've achieved what I embarked upon, my emphasis is not merely on intellectual growth from books, but from the experiences and interactions with those around me.

Regardless of my past tribulations, I now find myself in a state of happiness. I've grown to appreciate the painful experiences of my past, as they've opened my eyes to the world's beauty and enabled me to connect on a deep level. These trials taught me the essence of self-worth and the importance of health and well-being. They illuminated the fact that art doesn't spring from pain, but rather, the process of healing.