I was very excited to begin this project in 2016, as designing a tarot deck has been a long-time dream of mine. Since childhood I have been fascinated with the cards, especially about the mystique they are surrounded by. My grandmother used to lay the cards for clients in exchange for food shortly after World War II, but sadly she never did readings for me when she got older.
Though I never seriously studied the tarot, I have always kept my curiosity about the cards. After U.S. Games Systems asked me to design a whole deck on my own, I soon realized what a huge project I had committed to. To illustrate each card and to picture its whole essence you have to understand the meaning in all its complexity. So first I had to study the tarot intensely and get more familiar with the meanings. Normally, I work very intuitively and allow my collages to develop as I am creating them. For the tarot cards I had to work the opposite way. Each card already has its assigned meaning and I had to find the story to creatively explore it.
The Smith-Waite Tarot Deck was a big influence and a fundamental guide for me while creating Tarot of Mystical Moments. I used this classic deck as an inspiration, but I tried to develop my own personal stories and interpretations for the cards. In the Minor Arcana, the Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles don’t show up literally in the cards; they are symbolized by pertinent objects within the scene. Depending on the number of the Minor Arcana card, the symbols appear in multiples equal to this number. Most of the cards I originally designed for this deck depicted the tarot scene from a female point of view. But since the tarot should reflect a more inclusive perspective, I added traditionally male figures to the deck as well, mainly for the Kings and some Minor Arcana cards. For the Emperor and the four King cards, I created two versions, feminine and masculine, and have included both as bonus cards in this 83-card deck. Readers may choose which rendition they want to include in their tarot readings. Descriptions of both versions are given in this booklet. In many cases I created several images for each card before deciding on the final ones to include in this deck.
I often had to return to my artwork to see if the meaning and imagery still resonated for me or if I had to make changes. During this period of emotional ups and downs I sometimes doubted that I would ever be able to finish all the cards. I often felt like the Fool whose journey is to complete the deck, while having all the emotional experiences and challenges the cards are speaking about. 
I want to express thanks for the patience and support of my family and the help of U.S. Games Systems. Special thanks to Jennifer Kaplan, Lynn Araujo, and Jody Boginski Barbessi. Because of them the tarot finally began to become real for me. In the end I may not be much wiser, but I am very grateful and proud to have completed my very own Tarot of Mystical Moments.
9 comments
I just bought these cards. They’re absolutely beautiful, and the creative stories behind the imagery are fascinating.
I have the deck in both the French and English versions. The guidebook descriptions in French is more detailed. The artwork is beautiful—really speaks to me. I wish I could read French better than I do. I think the English version omits some interesting insights.
Is this available to purchase now?
I have this deck and the images are beyond beautiful! It’s so easy to get lost in the mystical moments of every card.