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Traditional interpretation According to A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot: Equity, rightness, probity, executive; triumph of the deserving side in law. Reversed: Law in all its departments, legal complications, bigotry, bias, excessive severity.

Justice serves as a unique opportunity to discuss a minority. We all know the adage “History is written by the victor,” but I would imagine few of us know the extent of the pain that that concept can cause. 

I find so much beauty in Native American lore and culture. There is a sort wisdom beyond worldly wisdom. I have some amount of Native American blood in me. It is a bold concept to explore Native American culture as Justice in the deck, but I do it with genuine and compassionate intention. What has happened to the Native American people since the occupation of North America by European settlers has been tragic and downplayed. Even what is going on now, with the culture itself struggling to survive on reservations covered in casinos. I still see so much dignity and pride in their history and heritage. This chief and his braves were my choice to represent Justice. 

Traditional interpretation According to A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot: Prudence, circumspection; also and especially treason, dissimulation, roguery, corruption. Reversed: Concealment, disguise, policy fear, unreasoned caution.

Like many characters in this deck, the Hermit is androgynous. He or she stalks down a crooked path to a crooked moutain-top under cover of night. There’s a chill in the air. We don’t know if the hermit is threatened or threatening. Likely both. Like the Heirophant, the Hermit seeks isolation- but, rather than enlightenment as a motivator, here we have fear. This is the makings of the old hag or the terrifying old man at the end of the street. 

Traditional interpretation According to A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot: Destiny, fortune, success, elevation, luck, felicity. Reversed: Increase, abundance, superfluity.

The Wheel of Fortune has more symbolism in it than the average card in this deck. It almost has a cultic or illuminati quality to it. This illustration is a new visual flavor, but most of the symbolism is traditional and true to form. The night sky surrounds the wheel. The Lion, Ox, Eagle and Scorpion keep watch from the four corners. A sultry little sphinx sits atop the wheel. On the Wheel itself, the traditional markings are there: the letters TARO alternating with the Hebrew characters for YHWH (Yahweh). I was striving to maintain the original imagery and symbolism and integrate a new sense of playfulness. We never know exactly what’s going to happen, yet we try to. Regardless of our wisdom, knowledge and experience- there’s still a roll of the dice. Everyone holds their breath as the wheel turns.

Traditional interpretation According to A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot: Power, energy, action, courage, magnanimity; also complete success and honours. Reversed: Despotism, abuse of power, weakness, discord, sometimes even disgrace.

If there is a character in this deck that I consider to be autobiographical, it is Strength. The traditional portrayal depicts a woman standing- hold the mouth of the lion forcibly shut. An alternate name for this card is Lust. This implies the strength of the woman to control, trammel, cage the Lion- and equates this to strength. I was interested in a different portrayal of the “taming” of the lion. I’d contend that the best relationships with wild beasts do not consist in de-clawing, caging, chaining and de-wilding them; but rather in forming a trusting bond with them. Perhaps a few creatures on this earth are evil, but most are decent, but not harmless. In my limited experience, strength can calm the lion to allay the threat rather than holding his mouth shut. So she sits- unarmored and unadorned- on floor with the King of Beasts. 

Traditional interpretation According to A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot: Wisdom, circumspection, discernment, trials, sacrifice, intuition, divination, prophecy. Reversed: Selfishness, the crowd, body politic.

The Hanged Man seemed to me such a grim thing to illustrate. I love my villains and my gothic themes, but this concept had no lift for me. I thought how can I address and invert the concept? What if “hanging” doesn’t pertain to execution but play? So we have our female danseuse on aerial silks. I don’t think that this is necessarily a denial of the true nature of the card. What is anything but a perspective? If the heart of this card is transcendence and sacrifice, it seems better to me to do that from a place of willingness, hope and play even than from a place of martyrdom. 

Traditional interpretation According to A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot: End, mortality, destruction, corruption; also, for a man, the loss of a benefactor; for a woman, many contrarieties; for a maid, failure of marriage projects. Reversed: Inertia, sleep, lethargy, petrifaction, somnambulism; hope destroyed.

She is the grim reaper- the harbinger of death. The thunder cracks, the lightning flashes, and the shadow of the supple female warrior is only her bones. She comes for you. 

Traditional interpretation According to A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot: Economy, moderation, frugality, management, accommodation. Reversed: Things connected with churches, religions, sects, the priesthood, sometimes even the priest who will marry Querent; also disunion, unfortunate combinations, competing interests.

She’s the angel that shows you mercy, grace, unmerited compassion. She’s demure without weakness, gracious without compromise. The most delicate of feminine strength. She protects and nurtures- either with abundance or with temperance as needed. She knows when to give and when to take away- though she will never remind you of this. 

Traditional interpretation According to A. E. Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot: Ravage, violence, vehemence, extraordinary efforts, force, fatality; that which is predestined but is not for this reason evil. Reversed: Evil fatality, weakness, pettiness, blindness.

The air smells like seduction- burning wicks, spilt wine, and crushed flowers. There’s a music in the air that hangs thick- romantic, opaque and disorienting like opium smoke. The rooms reels in a sensual haze. Truth, clarity and objectivity yield to carnality, frenzy and indulgence. Prince of this carnival beckons come hither with an irresistible cool aristocratic bearing. Who could resist?