Visual Alchemy as Transformation
When I work with Tarot symbolism, I approach it as a form of visual alchemy. The goal is not to illustrate cards literally, but to transform their meanings into emotional and intuitive experiences. Colours, shapes, and botanical forms become catalysts for inner change. The artwork acts as an interpretive vessel where symbols dissolve and reform into something personal for each viewer. This transformation reflects the alchemical process itself—turning raw material into insight.
Symbols as Emotional Gateways
Tarot symbols hold emotional resonance because they represent universal experiences. When I incorporate elements like cups, seeds, or glowing cores, I am using symbolic language that the viewer already understands subconsciously. A cup suggests emotional depth, a seed represents potential, a flame signals transformation. Instead of telling a story, the symbols invite emotional recognition. The viewer feels rather than reads the meaning, entering the artwork through intuition rather than logic.
Botanical Imagery as Living Tarot
Botanicals play a central role in my visual interpretation of Tarot. Roots, petals, and vines mirror the organic growth of inner understanding. Just as Tarot readings unfold gradually, so do botanical forms in my work. They twist, bloom, and glow with internal light, symbolizing emotional evolution. In folklore, plants were often believed to carry omens or spiritual messages. By integrating botanical motifs, I connect Tarot symbolism to that living tradition of nature as guide and messenger.
Colour as Alchemical Medium
Colour becomes the most powerful alchemical agent in my compositions. Deep reds signal desire and manifestation, luminous pinks express nurture, and dark blues evoke intuition and mystery. When colours interact, they transform each other. A glowing core surrounded by shadow suggests revelation emerging from darkness. This visual chemistry mirrors emotional processes, where feelings blend, collide, and clarify. Colour becomes both atmosphere and meaning.
Texture as Inner Landscape
Texture allows me to express the complexity of internal experience. Grain, haze, and layered atmospheres create depth that feels tactile and intimate. These textures resemble dream spaces, blurred memories, or emotional impressions. They reflect how inner journeys rarely feel sharp or defined. Instead, they unfold through sensation and mood. Texture transforms flat imagery into a psychological environment, inviting the viewer to inhabit the space emotionally.
Archetypes as Personal Mirrors
Tarot archetypes become mirrors in my work. The Empress may appear through abundance and warmth rather than a crown or throne. The High Priestess emerges in shadowed blues and quiet luminosity, suggesting secrecy and intuition. The Lovers reveal themselves through symmetry and tension. By abstracting these archetypes, I allow viewers to project their own experiences into the imagery. The archetype becomes personal rather than prescriptive, turning the artwork into a reflective tool.
The Role of Intuition
Intuition guides both creation and interpretation. When I paint, I follow instinctive choices—colour shifts, emerging faces, botanical movement—without planning the final outcome. This intuitive process mirrors how Tarot readings flow. The artwork evolves like a reading, revealing meaning gradually. Viewers respond intuitively as well, noticing details that resonate with their own emotional state. The piece becomes a shared intuitive experience.
The Journey Through the Image
I design compositions that lead the eye on a journey. Symmetrical forms draw the viewer inward, glowing centers anchor attention, and floating botanicals suggest movement. This visual pathway reflects the structure of an inner journey: entering, exploring, discovering. The artwork becomes a symbolic map, guiding the viewer through layers of meaning. The journey does not end at understanding but continues through reflection.
Folkloric Foundations
Many of my interpretations draw from Slavic and Baltic folklore, where symbols carried practical and spiritual meaning. Plants indicated weather, spirits guarded thresholds, and colours signaled blessing or danger. Tarot shares this symbolic logic. By blending folkloric traditions with Tarot archetypes, I create a symbolic network that feels both ancient and contemporary. The artwork becomes part of a lineage of visual storytelling.
The Alchemy of Perception
Visual alchemy occurs when a viewer sees something new each time they return to a piece. An eye hidden in a petal, a glowing seed previously overlooked, a shift in emotional meaning based on mood. The artwork transforms through perception. This continual reinterpretation reflects the essence of Tarot, where cards change meaning depending on context. The image becomes dynamic, participating in ongoing emotional dialogue.
Why Visual Alchemy Resonates
I believe visual alchemy resonates today because people seek symbolic depth beyond literal imagery. Surreal and symbolic art allows room for personal meaning. Instead of offering answers, the artwork opens questions. It encourages viewers to trust their inner responses, treating intuition as valid knowledge. In a world that demands clarity, visual alchemy offers mystery and reflection.
Living with Tarot-Inspired Art
When Tarot-inspired works inhabit a space, they influence its emotional atmosphere. Colours shift with light, symbols reveal themselves gradually, and the artwork becomes part of daily contemplation. Over time, the piece supports inner journeys, offering quiet companionship and insight. The visual alchemy continues, transforming both the environment and the viewer through slow, intuitive engagement.
