⭐️ The holy mountain and the Light in the Dark - Tarot Friday # 10 and my first card based completely on intuition
Another stop at the Temple of the Secrets today, to talk about a card, that has a very special meaning to me.
When I started working on that project in the mid nineties, it was a really hard time in my life.. often quite a nightmare to be honest. In the midst of a pile of problems, I desperately tried to create a major piece of art and make a living as a self employed artist. Had just started to run this museum and needed a way to fit this ancient Egyptian theme in a small tourist town in the Bavarian Forest (Germany)... that's how I got in touch with Tarot cards, as they supposedly came from ancient Egypt (or somewhere else 😜) and eventually found their way to the area where I live.
So I started studying the Tarot and designed the first five of the major arcana, the trump cards of the Tarot. I have to admit, that it wasn't a project of love, but once I commit to something its hard to get me to quit. So I pulled it through.
Another season had ended, 5 cards done, I was really fed up with it all and although I wasn't gonna give up, I turned my back to the project for a while... seems like my subconscious had needed this break. To my own surprise, several weeks later I woke up with the next card/picture in my head
Thing is, it was not the next card in line...
But then I thought.. hell, who cares in which order they are painted? If this card presents itself like that, then its the one I'll paint. And so I did 🙂
The card "IX - The Hermit" was the first card I created completely different than the ones before, where I pretty much took the elements which were supposed to be there and put them together in my own style. It was like "adding" these elements together to illustrate the idea my way.
Now I had a finished picture in my head! Sure, there are certain elements we know from traditional Tarot cards, but this time I didn't just "rearrange" them, it was my very own interpretation of the theme.
When we look at the Hermit as a chapter of the journey of the fool, then this is the moment, when our young travellers meet someone who already possesses the wisdom and hands it on to them. In fairytales we often have this theme, when a young and unexperienced soon to be the hero meets an old wizard or wise woman to get the magic thing or knowledge necessary to complete some quest.
The Hermit brings light into darkness and represents being true to oneself, self reflection and wisdom.
A long time, after I had completed a lot more cards, my Tarot teacher came to my "Temple of the Secrets" and he was particularly taken with my Hermit. He asked me, why I put it inside mount Kailash, the holy mountain of the Tibetans, and said he found the thought quite fascinating.. when I had to admit, that I had never even heard of it before.. the image just came to me!
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Temple of the secrets, total size of artwork is 15ft by 45ft, unfinished
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I really enjoyed reading the story behind your creation here. I adore this card and how you let intuition drive the creative process. Love the glowing center orb. ❤️
So glad to see you around. Hope you are well! Glad you like my Hermit with his "light ball" and hope your own inner guide will always lead you in the right direction 🙂
I really like this one, especially all the little colours you wove into the grey!
Thank you! Grey alone didn't do it for me, as he is the bringer of light and therefore color as well :-)
You have such a unique creative expression Reinhard. You are one of a kind. =)
Thanks a lot maestro Leo! Only one of my kind... well, probably a blessing ;-)
Indeed we are blessed to have you in this world, my most esteemed Herr Schmid. =)
Hahaha... you are too kind, Leo! I actually thought its a good thing to not have even more of this kind of Schmid around ;-)
Really great! I like the blue-grey modulations
Thank you :-) Wanted to express "being alone/loneliness", but also the "light/color"
Nothing adds more to a quality of work of an artists, that the problems he has probably... Which is sad on one hand, and on the other hand all emotions he is experiencing reflect in the output with such a power.
This works of your definitely radiates with some mysterious energy and stands our from the rest. I mean the rest of your work is really great, and i love it a lot. But this one has this mystery and energy that you can feel while even looking at the digital copy. I am sure the original is even more powerful.
I call it the van Gogh effect... the harder you struggle, the more likely it is to create something special ;-) Had these phases more than once. Ok.. the outcome is debatable, but at least the times were hard 😛
I think that "The Hermit" proves your point perfectly well :)
haha.. thank you, hope I can do something decent in the future without the hard times too ;-)
I hope so but you understand that it would contradict Van Gogh effect then? In which case it has no meaning as it is just pointless suffering and the rest is just a coincidence?
When you are right, you are right, but maybe there is also another effect.. for good work during good times ;-)
Btw, just struggling with creating my account on BeScouted... chose "Designer" for lack of a more suitable category. What would you suggest?
Good times produce different kind of results, that may be as well spectacular, but suffering has that extra touch to artistic mood for some reason...
Emm... Photographer? lol You might be snapping an image or two in the future. Also painting is recording the light just as photography is :))
You are absolutely right with the extra touch. But in a way, I think I have a decent supply of bad times energy ;-) There are phases of my life I wouldn't want to go through again for anything. I'm quite happy being happy now :-)
Thanks for the advice... don't see a thing to change the category. I'll just start over :-)
Thank you for giving insight into the process. It's always interesting how an artwork comes alive and the feelings, intentions and coincidence play a role.
The hermit speaks to me. His glowing belly gives promise that I will get something out of his presence. He also reminds me on my own inner guide.
His outstretched hand invites me to do a closer look.
Beautiful & inspiring!
You are most welcome. Thank you for your interest in my work. Glad you find my Hermit "inspiring"
Wonderful composition.
I enjoy this orientation and the expression in his face.
Thank you very much for noticing :-)
My pleasure ;-)
As with all of the tarot paintings, it is fascinating to look at. It's amazing how inspiration just sort of hits you sometimes. And such pure inspiration usually delivers exceptional results. Awesome!
Thank you, yes its the best when it just hits you. Happened with me just a few days ago again, with a painting I've been chewing on for weeks!
Love the composition and colors too, the way you hidden his corpse in his clothes. It is nothing and a whole in the same time.
Thank you! Great aspect you mention, with the whole and nothing. Of course you saw that, being the master artist you are.
What an amazing story behind the card! Everyone had this intuition it's just tapping into that takes the work. The hermit is my most relatable card for sure
Thank you for pointing this out and for your appreciation. I see, you upvoted the post. I'm thankful and always take this as a compliment. Unfortunately, after the post has been online, it has no other effect and you won't get curation rewards...
Well I was just wanting to show how much I enjoy your work. Not for rewards.