You provide a place to stay for your Tarot Reader(s) and make the local arrangements.

I enjoy teaching and find staying at peoples' homes is usually the most comfortable and friendliest way to meet kindred spirits.

Community Centres, Bookstores or someone's big living room are possible workshop venues.

Phone64 9 3613292 or email Fern Mercier at fernmm@ihug.co.nz to talk through the details and costs.

TAROT PROJECT 2008

Every year the Museo dei Tarochhi proposes a new Tarot project.
This consist of inviting artists to create an original Tarot work of art following a specific theme, which is decided by the museum each year.
The chosen contributions are then published by the museum as unique, collectible Tarot decks.

Along with the production and publication of these intriguing decks of cards, the Museum also organizes various exhibitions in Italy. You can view examples of previous artworks completed during 2006 and 2007 on the website under the titles The TAROCCHI EVOLUTI and The INCONTRO TAROCCHI, respectively.

The Museo dei Tarocchi in collaboration with Hermatena is currently seeking artists interested in participating and contributing original Tarot artwork for this upcoming Tarot deck series.

The Topic for the upcoming 2008 project is LITERATAROT.

The theme of this deck series is great classics of iterature, either contemporary or of the past.

The goal of this project is to merge a recognizable element of literature to the traditional and symbolic meaning of a specific Tarot card image.

This fusion comes from the esoteric value that in the distant past was connected to heraldry, whereas the image (called “the body”) was joined to a maxim or motto (referred to as “the soul”), forming a commemorative “coat of arms”.

SPECS

Card size: 7 X 12 cms (or 2.757inches X 4.723 inches according to photoshop)

Naturally the artwork can be a larger size as long as it will mathematically reduce down to the correct size proportionally.

Every work must contain:
- the title of the novel which inspired the work (not the name of the author of the book)
- the title of the connected Tarot card (i.e. Fool, Magician and so on)
- the corresponding number printed in Roman Numerals (i.e. XV).

The museum will accept most any art medium that you feel best suits this classic literay theme as related to your Tarot card image, including pen and ink, colour drawings, painting, photography, and (copyright safe/in public domain) collage, digital art, sculpture or other such artistic mediums.

Please contact Fern Mercier for further information if you reside in the Pacific region.
The art contributions must reach Fern no later than February 28th 2008.

arcana:

The tarot art event held on September 2nd and 3rd at Jubilee Building in Parnell, Auckland, was a magnificent celebration of tarot. Two years in the making and a truly collective effort, it proved that tarot is a growing cultural force in our contemporary world. An extraordinary turnout around 1000 people flocked to interact with arcana’s wonderful diversity of artworks, performances and educational seminars.
The buzz started immediately the doors opened and continued throughout the weekend. There was a constant flow of visitors who more often than not were newcomers to tarot and its history.

Seminars were well-attended with standing-room only in most presentations. Tarot became accessible to a mainstream audience, introduced with panache and scholarship, by our wide range of educators.

The lively marketplace, where books and decks on sale jostled for attention with medieval swordsplay and poetry, was a mini-carnival all weekend long. The innovative tarot paraphernalia on sale seemed as much an art form as the singing, dancing and juggling that provided vibrant family entertainment. This colourful ambience re-created the historical setting that displayed both the roots of tarot and its modern relevance.
35 contributing N.Z. artists exhibited 89 pieces of work that ranged from a decorative grandfather clock to a Pigeon Tarot, from brilliant tattoo art to armless dolls, from a mosaic High Priestess mirror to an exquisite Empress quilt.
Whilst imagery on the big screen featured 600 years of tarot art history, the tarot readers were worked off their feet. Superb performances all weekend culminated in a Literary Conversation between three leading N.Z. writers, who discussed the relationship of tarot to their novels and lives.

One of our greatest achievements was the collective power that made this event possible. The generosity of the sponsors, the volunteers’ contributions, and the sharing of many individuals’ and groups’ resources, meant that tarot came alive in the highest spirit of the World card.
A commemorative catalogue of the art is being created and a video documentary of arcana is in production.
Our international guest speaker Mary K. Greer, commented that arcana was a major event in the history of tarot in the world.
Our heartfelt thanks to everyone of you who made this marvelous and significant event possible.
Fern Mercier, Dyan Harland and Lyn Olds.

Tarot Art to Italy

A new International Tarot Art Museum opened in June 2007 in Riola, near Bologna, Italy. www.museodeitarocchi.it
On the request of this Museo, Fern and Lyn carried 16 pieces of N.Z. artworks for permanent exhibition for the official Inauguration Festivities. Read all about it at (Link to Tarot Talk page)

These artists have their artwork exhibited in Italy