THE RÊVERIE ORACLE DECK IS MY WHIMSICAL CAJUN BELLE VERSION OF LE PETIT JEU.
THIS MYSTICAL GAME OF HOPE IS AS OLD AS THE TRADITIONAL DECK
OF NUMBERED PLAYING CARDS FROM THE 14TH CENTURY.
THESE ILLUSTRIOUS ORACLE CARDS WERE ORIGINALLY NAMED AFTER
THE FAMOUS 18TH CENTURY PARISIAN SALON CARTOMANCER,
MARIE-ANNE ADELAIDE LENORMAND
OR MADAME LENORMAND.
THEY CAN BE USED FOR LIGHT-HEARTED GUIDANCE
WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER ANY LITTLE MYSTERY IN LIFE.
IN THIS POST, DISCOVER MY INSPIRATION BEHIND CARDS 19-24.
CARD 19
TOWER/TOUR
THE TOWER SIGNIFIES OPPOSING PERSPECTIVES
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU CHOOSE TO STAND.
GAZING UP PLACES AUTHORITATIVE VALUE TO THIS SYMBOL.
LOOKING DOWN CREATES DISTANCE AND BOUNDARIES
FOR SELF-PRESERVATION.
THIS IS THE CHURCH MY MOTHER'S FAMILY ATTENDED
WHEN THEY LIVED IN MORGAN CITY, LOUISIANA.
I TOOK THIS PHOTO OF IT AT MY GREAT AUNT'S FUNERAL.
SHE WAS THE LAST OF MY GREATS.
SHE WAS THE SISTER OF MY GRANDMOTHER FEATURED IN THE WOMAN CARD.
I ACTUALLY SPENT MOST OF HER SERVICE OUTSIDE
IN THE GARDENS GAZING UP AT THE MEDIEVAL CASTLE LIKE ARCHITECTURE.
THE SOUND OF A SOULFUL SECOND LINE SONG
COMPLETE WITH HORNS COMING FROM INSIDE
SNAPPED ME OUT OF MY TRANCE
BEFORE THE SUN BLINDED ME.
AS I LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CARD
I REALIZE I SPENT MY CHILDHOOD LOOKING UP
AT ORGANIZED RELIGION AS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY,
AND AS AN ADULT I HAVE BECOME THE SELF-PRESERVING CASTLE.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL FULL CIRCLE EXPERIENCE
I FEEL BLESSED TO HOLD.
CARD 20
GARDEN/JARDIN
THE GARDEN SIGNIFIES THE SOCIAL REALM.
A PUBLIC AFFAIR OR EVENT IS AT PLAY.
SOMETHING IMPORTANT BECOMES VISIBLE.
THIS CARD IS ABOUT COMMUNITY.
THIS CARD FEATURES A NATIVE CAJUN PRAIRIE STAR :
THE MAMOU PLANT,
THE CORAL BEAN PLANT
IS A COMPLEX BEAUTY.
IT HAS SERIOUS THORNS.
TRAITEURS, OR CAJUN HEALERS,
LEARNED HOW TO MAKE MEDICINAL TEA FROM THE NATIVES
TO TREAT COLDS, FLU, BRONCHITIS, AND WHOOPING COUGH.
THE BRIGHT RED BEANS CAN BE POISONOUS
BUT ARE COMMONLY MADE INTO
BEAUTIFUL JEWELRY AND ROSARIES.
IN THE 1960'S THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEEMED
THE PLANT DANGEROUS, MUCH TO THE ENTERTAINMENT OF
LOCALS WHO HAD BEEN CONSUMING THE PLANT
FOR CENTURIES.
THERE IS SO MUCH TO LEARN IN THE GARDEN.
A LOCAL MAKER FRIEND OF MINE CAYLA ZEEK
ALSO OFFERS MAMOU PLANT ART :
CARD 21
MOUNTAIN/MONTAGNE
THE MOUNTAIN SIGNIFIES DELAY OR OBSTACLES.
PATIENCE MAY BE REQUIRED TO OVERCOME A CHALLENGE.
A SENSE OF STRENGTH AND PERSEVERANCE
IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CARD.
WELL, WE ALL KNOW THERE ARE NO MOUNTAINS IN LOUISIANA,
SO I CHOSE THE CLOSEST THING TO IT :
THE INFAMOUS LEVEE.
THE EARLIEST RECORDS OF THE FRENCH BUILDING THEM
TO PROTECT NEW ORLEANS DATES BACK TO 1717.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN 1927 NOTHING COULD CONTROL THE WATER.
THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI RIVER REMAINED AT FLOOD STAGE
FOR A RECORD 153 DAYS.
READ MORE HERE.
SOME OF MY FAVORITE TEENAGE MEMORIES
WERE LEVEE EXCURSIONS MADE WITH MY FRIENDS
WHEN WE WEREN'T SNEAKING INTO NIGHT CLUBS.
LEVEE PARTIES IN THE 90's WERE NEVER BORING,
ESPECIALLY WHEN FOUR WHEELERS WITH
HOMEMADE SKIMBOARDS ATTACHED TO THE BACK
WERE INVOLVED.
CARD 22
CROSSROADS/QUATRE-CHEMINS
THE CROSSROADS SIGNIFIES MANY POSSIBILITIES.
MULTIPLE OPTIONS CAN BE A RELIEF OR CAUSE DOUBT.
THE CHALLENGE IS TO TUNE INTO INTUITION
AND TRUST YOUR CHOICES.
THIS CARD IS CLOSE TO MY HEART BECAUSE I CREATED THIS DECK
AT A HUGE CROSSROADS IN MY LIFE.
ON NEW YEAR'S EVE OF 2024, I TOOK OFF SOUTH
TO PECAN ISLAND FOR SOME MUCH NEEDED GROUNDING.
I WAS LOST AND NEEDED TO GET QUIET.
I WAS STRUCK BY THE SIGHT OF THIS RETRO STOP LIGHT
IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
READ MORE ABOUT THE ADVENTURE HERE.
THE CARD ALSO FEATURES THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BRIDGE.
TO ME, IT CONNECTS THE PEACEFUL PLACE TO THE FEARFUL ONE
WHEN WE ARE OVERWHELMED WITH DECISIONS.
THE PATH I DECIDED ON HASN'T BEEN THE EASIEST
BUT I'M PLEASED THAT I'VE TAKEN THE TIME
TO LISTEN SO I CAN HEAR WHICH WAYS ARE CALLING
ME THE LOUDEST.
123123 IS A DIGITAL COLLAGE I MADE INSPIRED BY THE PECAN ISLAND TRIP.
10" PRINTS AVAILABLE HERE.
CARD 23
MICE/SOURIS
THE MICE SIGNIFY A SLOW DECLINE .
SOMETHING IS DETERIORATING OR DECAYING.
A LOSS OF ENERGY OR FORCE IS HAPPENING.
IT CAN INDICATE AN INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL CORRUPTION.
LOUISIANA IS FULL OF STRANGE, LARGE BEASTS.
THE NUTRIA, ALLIGATOR, ARMADILLO,
COCK ROACHES, AND MOSQUITOS, TO NAME A FEW.
WHEN I THINK OF MICE, I PICTURE THE FREAKY,
FUZZY POSSUM INSTEAD.
THEY ACTUALLY EAT MICE.
THEY ARE ALSO THE MASCOT OF THE COOLEST
INDIE MARDI GRAS PARADE IN MY HOMETOWN.
IT IS PUT ON BY THE KREWE DE CANAILLES.
IN CAJUN FRENCH CANAILLES MEANS A LITTLE MISCHIEVOUS.
MOST KIDS IN SOUTH LOUISIANA HAVE BEEN
CALLED THIS AT LEAST A COUPLE TIMES.
MICE AND POSSUMS ARE DEFINITELY CANAILLES.
EVEN ONES WITH PINK THIRD EYES.
MY FRIEND JULIE ..
ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE BELOVED FOOT PARADE
FEATURING HANDMADE THROWS ONLY
EYEBALL CAPE + CUSTOM SWAMP LOTUS OVERALLS
J'ADORE MARDI GRAS FLARE
CARD 24
HEART/CŒR
THE HEART SIGNIFIES UNIVERSAL LOVE.
COMPASSION, CONNECTION, AND INTIMACY ARE THE FOCUS.
EMPATHY, VULNERABILITY, AND PURE INTENT
ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CARD.
THIS IS PROBABLY MY FAVORITE CARD DESIGN.
LOVE IS MY RELIGION.
I LAID AN ICONIC SACRED HEART OVER
AN ABSTRACT PAINTING THAT UNINTENTIONALLY RESEMBLES A HEART.
WHEN I THINK OF HEARTS THERE ARE USUALLY ARROWS INVOLVED
SO I ADDED THE ONE THAT IS TATTOOED ON MY ARM.
THE HEART AND IDEA OF LOVE I HOLD
HAS TRANSFORMED SO MUCH THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.
TO ME, TO LOVE IS THE MEANING OF LIFE ITSELF.
HERE ARE SOME THINGS I LOVE..
I TRIED TO CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF WHAT LIVE MUSIC FEELS LIKE TO ME
IN THIS COLLAGE TITLED BIOLUMINESCENCE
AVAILABLE IN 10" SATIN PRINTS
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