Month: July 2020

I held my first official Tarot class, sold several Intention Pendants, attended an online class myself, helped out my husband with his work (he’s an artist who works in comics as a digital painter/colorist, so I know a lot about Photoshop), decided on the layout for my next Tarot Card illustration, came up with some additional ideas for future classes, and made dinner. That was just yesterday.

One thing that has happened since the pandemic started is that I am really diversifying. Before my focus was ceramics, teaching ceramics, assisting my husband, homeschooling my kids, and doing what I do around the house. I would do readings for people now and then, but it wasn’t a big push. But now, well, it’s become so much more. The good thing about it is that all of these areas that I am working in and developing are things I love, and honestly at least for me they are all connected. The same reason why I love ceramics and plants is also why I have been studying Tarot for so many years. It’s all about connections.

We are all connected not just with every other person but with every living and non-living thing. The atoms that make up our bodies are constantly moving and exchanging with everyone and everything else. We truly are made up of stardust. And planet dust. And sometimes much nastier dust than that! And just like the ever-changing atoms within us, we ourselves are also always transforming. Like the saying goes: “The only constant is change.” But yet we still don’t descend into complete chaos. It isn’t always consistently organized, but there’s a flow that we all often follow. And connecting to that flow is when we feel most at peace. For me, Tarot is one way to consciously drop into that energy and get a sense of where it’s heading. When I make ceramics or work on a drawing for my cards, I dip right into it, floating along until whatever I’m making is completed. Learning allows me to course correct when needed. Growing and learning about plants connects me with Gaia, the source of all life for us. Teaching is a way for me to help others find their own flow. And helping my family, well, I’m a mother with two teens who have some challenges (but are doing great overall right now); that always comes first. But I am assisting in the growth of the next generation, arguably the most important work I can do and the best way to help keep the flow of life going.

So, I’ve been signing all of my ceramic pieces with my initials, “JAK” almost since the beginning. And it seems even more fitting as I’ve been offering so much more because now I can say I’m a “JAK of all trades,” and really mean it!

And speaking of my offerings, it’s not too late to sign up for my Tarot Class on the Major Arcana. We record every lesson, so you will be able to catch up. Just click here https://julietakurthstudios.teachable.com/p/home. And if you’re interested in a reading, click here: https://calendly.com/jakofalltrades99/30min?back=1&month=2020-07 and you can set up an appointment; I will send you my PayPal info. If you’d like to get a little taste of how I work with the cards, you can always check me out on IG Live most Mondays at 6:00 pm PST for my “Tarot Talk.” And of course, if you want to see what ceramic pieces I have available, check out my Etsy shop (link above).

Look at me! I’m posting twice in one month!

Seriously, so much is going on right now. I am doing my best to really get my shi…. ACT together! And how does that look? Well, I officially have a place where you can sign up to be on my E-mail list! Not only will you get regular messages directly in your inbox, you will also receive a free gift: a downloadable Sun Card Coloring Page from my in-progress botanical-inspired Tarot Card Set.

What’s kind of cool about this (besides the actual drawing itself) is that you can use this in a ritual or as a tool for manifesting success and happiness. Light a candle to set your intention then while coloring the page think of what goal you want completed and envision how it can be achieved. Once your done, place it somewhere so that you can see it everyday. It will be both a magnet for what you want as well as give you an energy boost to do what needs to be done. And be sure to do this during new, waxing, or full moon.

And here’s the link: https://linktr.ee/Juliet_A_Kurth_Studios . You can also set up an appointment for a 10 Card Tarot Spread if you’d like for $33, find out more about my class on the Major Arcana that is coming up, or go to my Etsy Shop and see what wares I have to offer.

Blessed be!

I thought I’d talk to you about The Fool, the first card of the Major Arcana in Tarot. There are a lot of negative connotations to being a “fool” in our society, but in Tarot, if it’s upright it’s a positive card. The Fool is who we are any time we start a new venture. If you get this card, it is telling you to take that leap of faith because you are divinely protected and guided as you begin moving forward on accomplishing your goal. In a sense, we are all The Fool every time we wake up in the morning and start a new day, and our attitude in many way dictates how we perceive it, too. Do we want to look at life as a series of adventures and lessons that lead us to more understanding, or do we fear change and remain stuck in our ways? The Fool challenges us to not necessarily see the bright side but instead to remember we choose how meaningful we want our lives to be.

The reason why I’m sharing this here is that I have begun working on my own tarot deck. It is inspired by both Art Nouveau and botanical illustrations from that time. Each card will have a different flower or plant as the main focus, but there will be additional imagery that is inspired from the symbolic tarot traditions. I want it to not just look good but also be something that a reader can dive into or can easily be included in someone’s spiritual practice. I personally have been reading (and collecting) tarot for about 29 years now, and I love being able to dive really deep into it as I create my deck.

In the design of my card, the flower I chose to represent The Fool is the same flower that is often shown to be held by The Fool as a symbol of innocence and divine guidance and protection: the White Rose. In addition, the white rose also means divine and spiritual love, or love on a higher plane. White also is the color that represents “Spirit” of the 5 elements (which includes Earth, Air, Fire, and Water as well). And the thorns on the rose remind us that life isn’t always easy, but the beauty of the flower tells us it’s all worth the trouble. In the background there’s a cliff with the water below. Again, The Fool is traditionally shown at the edge of a cliff ready to take a step over as they take that “leap of faith.” I wanted to give that same sense of danger and awe because who doesn’t get at least a little nervous just before we start something.

And I have another announcement: I will be teaching an online class called “Fundamentals of Tarot – The Major Arcana” starting July 26, at 4:00 PST. This class is very interactive. We will meet using Zoom, and there will be discussion each time we gather. And because I can be a bit of a taskmaster, I will be asking you to do some homework, too. This class is for those who want to go beyond reading the little book that comes with the deck and who want a relationship with their cards. We will discuss not only divination but also how to include it in rituals or your spiritual practice. And those who sign up by Thursday, July 23, you will receive a free 10 card tarot reading ($33 value), and all who sign up will also get a digital copy of my Fool Card Coloring Page. It can be used in a ritual, especially if you incorporate coloring it, to bring in good fortune as you start on a big project. Either look at the menu above and click on “Online Studios” or follow this link: https://linktr.ee/Juliet_A_Kurth_Studios if you want to learn more.

Soon I will enlarge this black and white drawing and fully paint it for the final image for the card set. I am also planning on making art prints of each of the Major Arcana as I go, and I promise I will post my progress here as well. And in the meantime, you can follow me on Instagram and see what I’m working on right now!