The Pacific Northwest Tarot was my pandemic art project, a year-long obsession, and my love letter to the region I live in.
The Pacific Northwest Tarot is a 78-card deck illustrated with plants and animals that make their home here in the Pacific Northwest.
I began drawing the illustrations in April of 2020. Equating the isolation of the early days of lockdown to a hibernation, I drew a black bear as the Hermit card. Next came a crow as the Magician and grey foxes as the Lovers. I didn’t fully know the shape of the project at the time, but it had momentum and was keeping me balanced.
For each card, I selected a different species to represent the tarot archetype.
My goals were to learn more about the region of the world that I live in at a time when outdoor exploration was not an option; to spend time thinking about and interpreting each card of the tarot as a means of introspection; and to grow and push myself as an artist. I did not set out to complete a full deck, instead seeing how far it would take me.
I focused on process and the therapeutic effect of creating the artwork, rather than the end product.
I deliberately treated this differently than a design project. I did not research the audience, plan far ahead, or develop a system to create cohesive aesthetics. I allowed the project to evolve organically. As I developed new skills and had new ideas, I looped back to older cards multiple times to iterate and improve them. It was not efficient, but it was exciting to see how the deck grew and evolved. Sometimes it felt like it had a life of its own.
I started the Pacific Northwest Tarot for myself, but as I shared the images I found that others were connecting to it as well.
This deck became my entry point into an online community that I hadn’t even known existed. I heard encouragement from tarot readers, sought advice from other indie deck creators, and heard from so many people who felt a connection to the Pacific Northwest through my artwork. I became motivated to produce the deck as a product that could be shared.
I finished drawing the last card exactly one year after I started.
Each card was illustrated by hand in Procreate on an iPad Pro. The text and numerals are hand-lettered.
I transitioned from a single-minded focus on the artwork to take on the many roles of a self-published project.
I wrote and designed a 100 page guidebook; contracted production companies; printed a prototype edition; reviewed color proofs; finalized the deck design; made dozens of edits to the artwork; designed a box; produced a couple accessory items; registered a business; and put together a social-media marketing plan.
In June of 2021 I launched the project on Kickstarter. It succeeded far beyond my expectations.
Fueled primarily by community excitement on Instagram, the Pacific Northwest Tarot hit its $7000 funding goal in 30 minutes. After it tripled its goal on the first day, Kickstarter selected it as a “Project we love.” The project ultimately raised more than $97,000 from over 1,300 backers.
It was important to me that this project contributes back to the land that inspired it.
From that initial Kickstarter, I donated $20,000 to support environmental causes and Indigenous rights. The project has supported river and land stewardship, advancing environmental legal protections for species and habitats, protecting old growth forests and oceans, community programs, and other forms of advocacy. A portion of all future sales will continue to support these causes.
The first edition has shipped out to backers.
I recently launched an Etsy store, and I plan to get the deck into more physical stores (beyond the dozen or so that backed the Kickstarter), and begin work on a second edition. I never expected this project to turn me into a small business owner, but here I am!
Buy the Deck on Etsy
See more PNW Tarot
See all 78 cards, and read the latest backer updates.
Find my latest posts, or go back to see the project come to life.
Buy art prints of cards from the Pacific Northwest Tarot.
