It was twenty-five years ago when I became interested in the tarot. As most do, I began my journey with the classic Rider-Waite-Smith deck. As time went on I eventually graduated to using Aleister Crowley’s exquisite Thoth Tarot. However, despite my admiration for the deck I began to feel that I didn't fully resonate with that one either. 

 

So, in 2011 I decided to attempt to make my own tarot, one that reflected the cards as I understood them and, hopefully, made readings easier for me.

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Using collage technique, my creative process was to give the “spirit” of each card room to manifest itself. Sure, I had a vague concept for each one. But it felt more like the art would piece itself together from bits of ephemera I’d come across in old books, magazines and scraps of paper. It was an exercise of the Subconscious and perhaps that’s why some of the artwork can be a bit jarring or weird. It’s meant to evoke feelings and ideas, not merely to please the eye.

 

I will admit both the Rider-Waite-Smith and Thoth decks provided much of the DNA for The Red Magician's Tarot. However, I don’t feel my deck has any overtly Thelemic or Qabbalistic themes like Crowley’s. Nor do I think the artwork is derivative of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. 

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Even though The Red Magician's Tarot was intended for my personal use, as I shared the imagery with friends and other tarot enthusiasts, many began to inquire about obtaining copies their own. Luckily, a successful 2014 crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter provided me with enough money to produce a limited edition of 100 decks.

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Now, eleven years later, it's time to make The Red Magician's Tarot available once again.

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