Celebrating The Fool

     In the early Roman festival of Saturnalia, The Fool played the role of a mock king who presided over a merry festival of pranksters. He was the "Lord of Misrule"performing in a wild masquerade party. Does this sound like Mardi Gras? All the rules of order and morality were put aside at that time. Eventually the dark side of all that burlesque frivolity may have ended in a crescendo with the sacrifce of the king. These festivals evolved into various European celebrations such as "The Twelfth Night" (Jan.6th), the parades and festivities of Carnival, and capers of Shrove-Tuesday. (There is more to read about Saturnalia in James Frazer's book "The Golden Bough" (MacMillan, 1922) pp. 675-679.)
     In the time of the pagan gods, Saturn was the Roman god of sowing and husbandry (the Father-time of New Year's Eve). The person who played The Fool at these celebrations was known by various names such as the "Lord of Misrule," or the mediaeval "Bishop of Fools" and "King of the Bean." Ah, is that where the idea for the movies and TV show of "Mr. Bean" originated?  Some mediaeval feasts included baking a cake with a bean inside and the person who found the bean became "King of the Bean" who led the parade of merry chaos. Brian Williams (1958-2002) created the wonderful "Ship of Fools Tarot" (published by Llewelyn, 2002) based on the writing and art of Sebastian Brant's "Das Narrenschiff (The Ship of Fools) "emphasizing humanity's capacity for foolishness." Williams compares the images of the "Ship of Fools" to the classic decks of Marseilles and Rider-Waite-Smith in his drawing facsimiles of the art in Brant's book.

The Fool and Giotto's "Folly"

     In the 14th century, Renaissance artists were painting religious scenes influenced by the dogma of the church. It seems that vestiges of their visual images began to appear in early Tarot decks, at least in underlying meaning if not in exact replication. The power of the intended meaning may be hidden in the early Tarot Major Arcana cards such as the Visconti-Sforza deck of the 1400's. In turn, these original paintings may have been the source for later illustrations in early decks, including the Rider-Waite deck of 1910, by A.E. Waite, and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith.
     Italian artist, Giotto ((1267-1337) painted monochromatic frescoes of "The Seven Virtues and The Seven Vices" along the lower walls of the Arena Chapel in Padua, Italy, which are still there today. The Fool is seen here described as "Folly."  It's apparent some of Giotto's figures may include thinly disguised stories of the martyrdom of the saints. Fools, foolishness and folly are mentioned many times in various biblical verses, making depicting this kind of character an easy target for humorous portrayal. It is quite likely that Giotto's paintings of the Seven Virtues and Vices, and paintings like these by other artists of the period, were the basis for the designs of early Tarot cards. .
     Giotto's fool, "stultitia" has feathers attached to his head (making fun of a crown) and he has ragged clothes with bells tied around his waist. He may be wearing a peacock's tail and there appears to be a kind of forked stick placed around his mouth, which may represent a type of divination, or of speaking with a forked tongue.

The Fool and Nothing

The best place I like to begin in studying Tarot is with The Fool card. So you might ask why The Fool is the best place to start. It's like staring at a blank piece of paper and wondering what to put on it. The Fool represents nothing! It is a lack of awareness. We all start with nothing - zero - nada - zilch. From a physical perspective, most babies come into the world with nothing - just their little ready-made bodies and, most of all, consciousness. Ahah! There's the rub. Consciousness is probably the key to the whole matter of aliveness. The baby has life! Assuming that the baby has come into the world normally, what a profound way to start - to begin - to be - to start becoming. What kind of life will it be as an animated physical being and, what about a spiritual life? What is spiritual consciousness? Let that thought sink in and permeate those spine-tinglers in wonderment.
What is consciousness? The eyes give it away. Those little bright eyes open upon the world and then what? That's why I like to see The Fool at the beginning of the Major Arcana. It's the jumping off place into an unknown future. Of course we will see it again at the end of the Major Arcana, but in a different context with The Universe card.
The painting of The Fool in Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness depicts a zero that is filled with anticipation. It represents the positive, hopeful aspect one has of starting on life's journey. The center is a swirl of silvery shimmers, pregnant with possibilities. The seven colors of the rainbow radiate outward around the edges. The Fool's spritual journey through the trump cards of the Major Arcana is akin to our own journey through various states and stages, the twists and turns of our life experiences and lessons learned. Some remain the fool for the rest of their lives, others grow in wisdom garnered from life's lessons, and others play the fool, the joker, trickster, the mock king, president or priest. When you get The Fool card in a reading, it's the beginning of awareness. Beware - to be aware!

A New Tarot Deck for the New Millennium

Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness challenges the reader to enter a quest to find and connect to one’s unique inner spiritual self. This exquisitely painted deck of 78 cards is an exploration of symbolic relationships of the Tarot to Astrology, the Qabbalah, and Sacred Geometry. These geometric, abstract, vividly colored paintings are meant to inspire the seeker to create one’s own self-directed spiritual path.
Metaphysics, archaeology, and science, deeply influence Barbara Bruch’s work as author and designer of Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness. Barbara studied Fine Art at the University of Washington, and completed her MFA degree in Printmaking. She views her art as a means for self-transformation, and healing. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including the National Museum for Women in the Arts, Seattle Art Museum, and Women Artists of the American West.

Use Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness to start your quest and journey to seek to connect to your unique inner spiritual self. This modern beautifully designed and painted deck of 78 Tarot cards comes with its own accompanying book with an in-depth history and explanation of Tarot through the ages.
Follow Tarot’s mysterious appearance and use by French and Italian courtiers from early Renaissance to its worldwide use and fascinating appeal in contemporary society. This current ever-growing interest in Tarot is evident by the 3,000+ Tarot decks in use today. Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness aims to inspire the seeker to look within, explore and find one’s own spiritual path. Discover for yourself Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness’s amazing rich archetypal symbolism and fascinating, synchronistic relationships to Astrology, the Qabbalah, and Sacred Geometry. Extensively illustrated, this text explores the many layered symbolic relationships from ancient past to present day.
The Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness box set contains the 22 painted cards of the Major Arcana, together with 56 Minor Arcana cards including the Court cards. This new deck is unlike any other. Artist Barbara Bruch creates a new Tarot for the dawning of this 21st century. These beautifully painted original designs are inspired by Tarot symbolism, Sacred Geometry, Astrology, and the Qabbalah.
Use these modern archetypal symbols to explore your psyche. Discover ancient teachings of Sacred Geometry. Connect and reflect on classic Tarot figures such as The Empress, The Star, or Strength, and link them to your own life. What better way to interpret The Star as an experience of renewal by psychologically linking to its transcendent symbolism as a cosmic source for life energy.
Barbara Bruch’s 78 Tarot card paintings Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness together with its extensively illustrated definitive book is $39.95. It is contained in its colorful special box. Shipping and handling is $5.55 in the USA, additional for international
Washington State Residents - please add sales tax @9.5%.

You can order it now by emailing Barbara at:
barart40@gmail.com

Metaphysical Musing: A Statement

Education
MFA Printmaking/painting University of Washington
Extensive work with the late Glen Alps/Collagraph

Much of my artwork is based on an interest in metaphysics, archaeology, and the physical sciences: representing spatial concepts, underlying structures, healing, transformation, and cycles of existence. This work consists of paintings and prints symbolic of cycles of life in portals, hills, valleys, circles, spirals, and pyramids—oracles and sources of energy that charge living beings with the life force. Having traveled several times to Britain, Scotland and Norway, exploring and documenting megalithic sites and museum collections, I have come to believe there are changeless ideas contained like blueprints in our DNA—plans and laws for the growth and development of life’s forms and structures.

Over the years, my paintings and prints have been exhibited at the Seattle Art Museum, Portland Art Museum, Tacoma Art Museum, Seattle Pacific University, Cheney Cowles Museum in Spokane, Henry Art Gallery, Oregon School of Arts and Crafts, Washington State University, California State University at Hayward, and numerous galleries in Texas, Florida, Oregon, North Carolina, Washington DC, and Chicago. I have also exhibited in Korea, Italy, Holland, Scotland and South America. More information about my work is in the book and website, Women Artists of the American West by Susan Ressler.

New Book/Tarot cards Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness

This site is now ongoing
Watch for more information and pictures forthcoming about a beautiful new contemporary Tarot deck and book that I have designed: Tarot of Cosmic Consciousness. It has just arrived from the printers. There are instructions here for ordering it and I will be telling you a lot more about it.