Pick a Card
Somewhere in Northern Italy during the 1400s, the card game of Tarot was created. As decades passed, the deck moved through Southern France and eventually throughout the world. Although many assumptions are made about the origins, we know one thing for sure – tarot cards continue to find themselves in the hands of those who most need them. Decks consist of 78 cards: 22 major arcana cards and 56 minor arcana cards. Each one has a unique meaning that can be explained through the art on the card itself and the description within the small guide book accompanying the deck. Through and through, Tarot is accessible and often a source of comfort for the profiled, judged, and disenfranchised. Tarot cards cannot see your political beliefs, what you look like, or who you love. Every card is vague in nature and it is up to the reader to determine the final meaning. Although the cards are fairly standardized, the art used for every deck is unique to the artist behind them. A complicated history, the art of many tarot cards use appropriated and stolen Romani, Native American and Jewish symbols. Although new artists, tarot fanatics, spiritualists, and witches of all types are creating new and inclusive tarot designs, the conversations surrounding the centuries of theft are important and must not be erased. Tarot cards old and new utilize various genres and mediums of art to create both the front and back designs.
Traditionally the backs of the cards are uniform and do not change within a deck. The front of the cards however allow for serious and vast interpretation. Understanding the names of the cards, and their traditional depictions help modern deck artists create their own versions. The Pick a Card series is the unique depiction and interpretation of a small selection of tarot cards using a printer scanner, seemingly random artifacts, photoshop, and varied collage techniques. Browse the various pieces within Pick a Card and take what you need. How do the works make you feel? What do the colors and symbols mean to you? You are invited to explore the meanings for each card, and use them as reminders in your life. Tarot is for everyone, even you. Pick a card.
ARTIST STATEMENT: Brenna Anderson is a designer, photographer, and creative from Kittery Point, ME. She specializes in logo and brand design, portrait and product photography, and content creation. She loves exploring various themes and trying new things. Anderson is never intimidated by a new medium, rather she actively seeks them out and tries to incorporate them into her own work. This all started when she was a little kid, exploring the Maine woods with her art obsessed preschool. She was taught to never overlook an object, and that anything can be art. Anderson took this with her throughout her art career. During her time at Champlain College, she never stopped incorporating that outlook into her own exploration and education. Her photography work appeared in the 2020 Champlain Juried Student Art Show, winning Best Photography in Show. Anderson loves both neutral tones and bright colors, often implementing both in her work. She is influenced by collage, pop culture, and current media, and the themes her work explores varies from subject to subject. Most commonly, color and human emotion are what she focuses on. Beyond her day to day craft, she enjoys experimenting with 35mm film, motion graphics, and painting.
PROFESSIONAL DIRECTION/CAREER ASPIRATION: Graphic Designer and Photographer
WEB PRESENCE: https://www.brenna-rose-anderson.com/