I’ve been reading the tarot for thirty-odd years, and like many readers I have a collection of decks; my own is pretty modest at fewer than a dozen. I’ve known people who have collections of a hundred or more tarot card decks. Though my collection is small, all of them are cherished for their beauty, unique styles, and being meaningful. My attraction to and fascination with crows and ravens goes all the way back to my earliest childhood. When I saw this particular tarot deck I knew I had to have it.
The artwork and text are the work of Margaux Jones (MJ) Cullinane, who also has a recently published oracle deck with similar artwork called the Urban Crow Oracle deck. The LWB included with this tarot deck is 88 pages, with full explanations of each card in upright and reversed positions, and a suggested layout, The Crow Tarot Spread.
A look at a few of the major arcana cards-
The artwork is very colorful and lively. And while much of the symbolism which is familiar to users of more traditional tarot decks is present, the images aren’t just those of the Rider-Waite deck with crows replacing humans. Human-made artifacts show up frequently, but humans themselves don’t. I rather like that; many decks, particularly older versions, tend to be very ethnocentric and adhere to gender stereotypes. Those are not an issue with this deck, and that in turn can allow for more flexibility in interpretation.
And from the minor arcana, a selection of court and numbered cards from each of the four suits-
As you can see, crows are not the only animals depicted. Other creatures- horses, lions, wolves, fish, insects and other bird species also appear. The artist’s use of colors and patterns work well in conveying the meaning of each card. The cards themselves are smooth, heavy cardstock with nicely finished edges. (No paper cuts, yay!)
MJ Cullinane has other card decks available including one called The Raven’s Dream Tarot which is definitely on my must-have list. You can see and purchase this artist’s various offerings on her website crowtarotshop.com
Thank you for reading. This is an open thread, all topics are welcome.
