Watercolorist and author Lisa Hunt was kind enough to spend some time with me for an interview about the Fairy Tale Tarot. (Click here to see my review of this lovely deck.)
Thanks so much for taking time to answer my nosy questions, Lisa! You're a gem. :o)
Janet: What might people be surprised to know about creating a deck/book set like the Fairy Tale Tarot?
Lisa: Fairy Tales can be extremely complicated. I spent an entire summer studying scholastic texts, reviewing analytical psychology and engaging myself in comparative studies. And it didn’t end there. I was under the influence of these intense studies for the duration of the project. Given my fascination with the genre, I continue to collect and read fairy tales.
Janet: What is your favorite card (or cards) from this deck? Why? (Mine is currently The Elves and the Shoemaker. Love it!)
Lisa: Oh, thank you, Janet. The Lake Maiden as Sorceress is one of my favorites. I just love her ethereal beauty and her connection with something divine and mysterious. I also think this card represents the project itself in many ways. Much of what evolved had an inscrutable quality to it—emerging from a place that was not necessarily decipherable on a conscious level. Then again, most of my art originates from a place I've never truly pinpointed. :)
Janet: My husband and son often participate in project brainstorming sessions with me. How does your husband, Kort, and your children participate in the creation process with you? (Or do they participate by staying out of your hair? *chuckle*) And, wasn't your cat, Timmy, the model for Puss in Boots?
Lisa: What a great question Janet! Of course my family influences me in many ways. Kort actually came up with the initial Fairy Tale Tarot idea. It all happened while sipping margaritas together under the light of a full moon (hmm, and the lesson learned is...haha). My children served as impromptu models and influential forces of energy along the way. We all love fairy tales, making for an inspired environment. Yes, Timmy did pose for Puss in Boots—and yes, he’s as handsome as the feline in the painting. *grin*
Janet: What fairy tales almost made the cut for this deck, but didn't? How come?
Lisa: There was one story that actually made it all the way up to my drawing board and was changed last minute. That card was 5 of Wands—oh, the irony! I really wanted to include The Snow Queen but purposely denied her entrance due to the complexity of Andersen’s original telling. So I searched around and eventually explored a rather obscure 19th century aboriginal story about a koala bear. Sadly the story simply fell flat and didn't go anywhere. So the Snow Queen, who never really let me out of her grasp, supplanted Koala and ended up being one of my favorite card images.
Janet: The Snow Queen is one of my favorites, too! I'm so glad it made the cut... Lisa, what is your greatest hope for the Fairy Tale Tarot?
Lisa: I wanted to create something that can offer people comfort, hope, respite and a sense of stability -- especially during these troubling times. I feel in my heart that despite the stress-inducing changes around us, fairy tales will always be there to remind us who we really are. I truly believe they will be around for a long, long time.
Janet: I can honestly say your deck has provided all that for me since I've began using it. Your images are very soothing and, of course, the complex messages of fairytales are timeless. (I drew the Princess and the Pea last night; what a wonderful--and accurate!--piece of advice for me.) Thank you so much for your time, Lisa, and continued success with your newest creation!
You can visit Lisa online at her blog where she offer thought-provoking posts on her work, fairytales, Tarot and more.
-- Janet Boyer, Editor at The Tarot Channel and author of Back in Time Tarot
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