The Fool
Tarot Art Show: Splendorporium Art Gallery
2023

The Fool is numbered 0 within the tarot deck, a seemingly other character from the rest of the cards, an endless possibility. The fool is a being setting out on an adventure full of optimism and innocence but its reverse is naive and unaware of the dangers that may be waiting. In school I studied folklore and fairy tales and was drawn in by the raw, human nature that resides in every story. There was darkness in beauty and charm in the unknown. I found myself reflecting on the fae and the humans while painting this project. In which world is there really safety and peace? The human world? The realm of the faeries? It seems that both can be frightening and both can be wondrous.

I wanted to play with this dichotomy when creating this piece. A being of an other place, hands and hair reaching for an unknown, beckoning light. From the opposite way a common yellow butterfly, an image of good luck. Despite the fact that this image is a good omen, the butterfly is seemingly holding the being back. Is this a sign that the journey about to be taken will be in vain, despite all of the hope? I cannot help but to put myself in the place of this being. As I discover more about who I am I wonder; what paths will give me success in life, and what paths will leave me the fool?