The Badgers Forest Tarot

The Badgers Forest Tarot is a complete 78-card deck created by artist Nakisha VanderHoeven, known for her previous animal-themed tarot decks like the Rabbit Tarot. This deck, a labor of love over three years, features unique watercolor illustrations of various woodland animals, each embodying the essence of traditional tarot meanings within a mystical forest setting.

The deck reinterprets the classic suit structure by assigning specific wild animals to each: Badgers represent Swords, Foxes embody Cups, wild Rabbits correspond to Wands, and Crows symbolize Pentacles. The Major Arcana expands this menagerie to include bears, deer, boars, goats, squirrels, and raccoons, among others. This animal-centric approach offers a fresh, intuitive entry point into tarot symbolism, making the archetypes relatable through familiar forest creatures.

Designed as a full-sized deck (2.5” x 5”), it includes named and numbered cards with reversible backs, housed in a color-printed tuck box. A basic sheet of card meanings is also provided. The deck was successfully funded on Kickstarter in 2013, allowing the artist to print a larger quantity and offer it at an accessible price, reflecting her commitment to making her art available to a wider audience.

The artwork is rendered in a distinct watercolor style, characterized by soft washes, naturalistic blending, and a muted, earthy color palette. The image provided, likely a detail from a card, showcases a badger with its characteristic black and white markings, set against a backdrop of deep brown tree trunks and varying shades of green foliage. The brushstrokes are visible, giving the art a hand-painted, organic feel, with subtle textures and gradients that evoke the depth and atmosphere of a forest. The style is consistent with the campaign's description of "unique, original watercolor art" and aligns with the whimsical yet grounded nature of woodland animals.

This deck is ideal for tarot readers who appreciate animal-themed decks and a natural, earthy aesthetic. It particularly suits those who enjoy watercolor art and seek a deck with a gentle, intuitive connection to nature. Readers familiar with traditional tarot will find the underlying meanings accessible, while the animal-based suits offer a fresh perspective. It's also a good choice for collectors of unique, indie tarot decks, especially fans of Nakisha VanderHoeven's previous work.

Nakisha VanderHoeven is a full-time artist based in Seattle, Washington, who makes her living selling art globally through Etsy and other venues under the name BlueDogRose. She is an experienced tarot deck creator, with previous works including the Rabbit Tarot, the TaRat, and the BlueDogRose Tarot. The Badgers Forest Tarot represents over three years of dedicated work, driven by her passion for creating unique, original watercolor art and making it accessible to a wider audience through affordable pricing.