Tarot Avatara

The Tarot Avatara is a 78-card, full-color tarot deck created by artist Gabi Angus-West. Described as "Fate, Fortune and Frida," the deck embodies a vivid, hand-painted aesthetic that sets it apart. It comes with a companion book that includes card meanings, diary entries, and original illustrated spreads, all housed together in a sturdy box.

The deck's creation was a personal and artistic journey for Angus-West, reflecting her unique vision and connection to the tarot. The campaign successfully funded in 2021, raising over $43,000 from 483 backers, indicating a strong community interest in her distinctive artistic approach to the tarot system.

The companion book, available as a PDF in black and white, offers insights into the deck's symbolism and the creator's personal reflections, making it a comprehensive resource for readers. The physical deck and book are designed to be a cohesive set, providing both a visual and interpretive experience for users.

The artwork is distinctly hand-painted, characterized by vibrant, saturated colors and visible brushstrokes, giving it a rich, textured quality. The image provided, a close-up of a face, shows intricate detail in the eyes and surrounding features, with a stylized, almost mystical quality. The eyes themselves feature a striking, almost geometric green and yellow design within the pupils, suggesting a unique symbolic layer. Light blue, smoke-like tendrils emanate from the nose and forehead, adding to the ethereal and symbolic nature of the illustration. The overall style is bold and expressive, moving away from traditional tarot aesthetics towards a more contemporary, art-driven approach.

This deck is ideal for tarot enthusiasts and collectors who appreciate unique, hand-painted art and a vivid aesthetic. It will appeal to readers looking for a deck with a strong artistic voice and a departure from more traditional or mass-produced styles. Those interested in the creator's personal journey and artistic process, as well as fans of Frida Kahlo's spirit, may also find this deck particularly resonant.

Gabi Angus-West describes herself as a "Frida loving, messy painter, sometime artist, sometimes wishful thinker, often tenacious, most times self-sabotaging, other times tarot creatrix." Nestled by a great and salty lake, her creative process is deeply personal and reflective. The Tarot Avatara is a manifestation of her artistic journey and her connection to the tarot, following her previous works like The Wyrd of Sarah Howard Oracle and the Bonefire Tarot.