DRAWING FROM THE DAY
  • ...a blog on art, creativity, and mindfulness

THE TAROT RUG PROJECT:  JUDGEMENT (XX)

1/29/2016

 
This is the twenty-third post in a series on the Tarot Rug Project (also known as "Exploring the Tarot:  23 Artists Hook the Major Arcana").  To view other rugs in the series, go HERE (that post will be kept up to date as new photos are published and the show travels).

JUDGEMENT:  Here is the "classic" Rider-Waite-Smith image:
Picture
Universal Waite Tarot images used with permission of U.S. Games Systems, Inc., Stamford, CT 06902. © 1990 by U.S. Games Systems. All rights reserved.

"Spirituality means waking up.  Most people, even though they don't know it, are asleep.  They're born asleep, they live asleep, they marry in their sleep, they breed children in their sleep, they die in their sleep without ever waking up.  They never understand the loveliness and the beauty of this thing that we call human existence."
Anthony De Mello

"The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up."
Paul Valery


"My appointed work is to awaken the divine nature that is within."
Peace Pilgrim
Let's have a look at what Linda Rae Coughlin has done to interpret this card in her tarot rug:
Picture
Photo credit: Anne-Marie W. Littenberg. The rug is © 2015 to Linda Rae Coughlin, all rights reserved. Please do not copy, post, or pin without permission.
Linda Rae Coughlin is not only a rug artist herself, but also an author (she has at least 2 books on rug art in print), a curator of rug shows, and has traveled internationally to teach on the topic of creativity.  Linda Rae has a website packed with wonderful images of rugs by her and also of rugs by others in the numerous shows she has curated.  You can find more information about her background and her books on the site--just go HERE to see it, and don't forget to come back!  There is so much to take in.

Let's look at these two portrayals of "Judgement" side by side:

Picture
Picture
One of the many things I have learned from writing blog posts about this tarot rug show is the concept of simplifying images when transposing a complex idea from a drawing, painting, or photograph into a hooked rug.  This rug is almost the last rug in the show (only two more rugs to discuss in this series), and while I could write a book about what I've learned from looking at each artist's work, I promise to spare you--but I will say this:  I'll take the idea of simplifying forward with me as I design rugs in the future.

As have many other artists in this show, Linda Rae went straight to the most powerful images in the card and simplified, simplified, simplified.  As a result, we can really focus on those symbols in her rug.  In the original card, we see the archangel Gabriel blowing his horn, from which flows a white banner with a red cross.  Beneath the clouds just underneath him lie beautiful mountains, a pond or ocean, and six people responding to his call by standing and looking up at him.  And are those coffins?  Yes indeed.  These folks are literally being resurrected, woken up.  But more about that in a moment...

In Linda Rae's interpretation of the card, Gabriel and the horn are prominent.  The banner has been twinned with itself on the bottom left and right, almost like flowerpots, and from them grow the shoots of new growth and development.  The human figures are indicated by the large hands reaching up to cradle the horn against a background of brilliant light--a wonderful response to the call.  And somehow that brilliant blue background is a tranquil and lovely "holding container" for what is portrayed here.  This design puts the most meaningful symbols from the original card squarely into our view.

WHAT DOES THE CARD MEAN?
So...what IS being portrayed here?  This card is about "answering the call."  It is about resurrection, rebirth, forgiveness, and starting anew.  The red cross on the white background is a Templar Cross, symbolizing protection for those who answer that call, who wake up and begin a whole new journey.  What a wonderful and encouraging message.
“I believe there's a calling for all of us. I know that every human being has value and purpose. The real work of our lives is to become aware. And awakened. To answer the call.”
Oprah Winfrey

“What makes your heart leap?”
Jonas Salk
When you get this card, ask yourself:
  • What "call" am I hearing right now?
  • What, in me, is coming back to life?  What is awakening?  (If you aren't sure, take a guess (it's ok to guess!):  Where would you say you most need to "wake up" at the moment?
  • What new growth is occurring right now?  How can I cultivate that new growth?
  • What new cycle may be beginning now?
  • What healing is underway?  What is being forgiven (or possibly, what do I need to forgive)?
I absolutely cannot resist closing this post with a hilarious clip on YouTube--Ethel Merman singing "Blow, Gabriel, Blow," a Cole Porter song.  Ethel is definitely an acquired taste...as one critic said, "She couldn't sing, she couldn't dance, she wasn't pretty..." but she certainly was an American original and great fun to watch.  Don't miss what happens about 2 minutes 30 seconds into the clip.  Watching this piece will definitely "wake you up," although perhaps that's not QUITE what this card had in mind...!

Curious about the rest of the rugs in the exhibit?  You can see all the posts by clicking on the link at the very top of this post.  There is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section here (NOTE:  scroll down to the bottom of that post to get to the FAQ).

Thanks for reading.  Your comments are always welcome.
Robin B
1/31/2016 11:00:30 am

Wonderful representation and beautiful card!

Devin
1/31/2016 11:40:09 am

Agree--I really enjoy Linda Rae Coughlin's work. She always makes me think!


Comments are closed.

    ABOUT ME

     I'm a textile artist (traditional rug hooking, punch needle rug hooking, and other textile arts), a long-time meditator, a certified meditation teacher and coach, and focused on learning about the interplay of art, creativity, and mindfulness every day. 

    I am also a Certified Zentangle® Teacher (CZT 11) and a student of drawing and of the tarot.

      If you enjoy reading this blog, input your email address here to get an every-other-month notice about checking for new posts.

    Subscribe to Newsletter
    Picture
    Certified, 2021
    Picture
    Certified Zentangle® Teacher, 2013
    Picture
    Certified by AmyOxford.com at The Oxford Rug Hooking School, 2016
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Black Tiles
    Bookbinding
    Broken Wrist Tangles
    Clocks
    Colored Pencil
    Creative Inspiration
    Death
    Diva Challenge
    Drawing
    Dyeing Wool Or Yarn
    Fans
    Frederick Franck
    Gellyrolls
    Gesso
    Gratitangles2018
    Gratitangles2020
    Gray Tiles
    Ims
    Inktober
    Inktober 2018
    Inktober 2019
    Inktober2020
    Iphone App On Tangles
    Joey Challenge
    Knitted Knockers
    Knitting
    Knots
    Mandalas
    Map Tangling
    Marathon
    Meditation
    Neurographica
    No Fail No Learn
    Other People's Work
    Poetry
    Portrait
    Punch Hooking
    Punch Needle Embroidery
    Quilts And Other Art
    Rainbow Lead Pencil
    Renaissance Tiles
    Rug Hooking
    Scratch Art
    Sketchbook-skool
    String Thing Challenge
    #summertangles2018
    Tangles
    Tarot
    Tarot Rug Project
    Truly Miscellaneous
    Watercolor
    Weather
    Zenagain2018
    Zendala-dare
    Zenuari2019

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014

    SITES TO WATCH:

    Insight Meditation Society

    Oxford Rug Hooking School


    Zentangle:  The Official Site

    Green Mountain Rug Hooking

    Massachusetts Tarot Society


    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • ...a blog on art, creativity, and mindfulness