Last summer I had the idea to create an oracle deck for women using the principles of my work as cards. I envisioned each card to be a transmission of an archetypal Yin Power, through text and image.
I was incredibly excited when this idea came through because I loved the thought of collaborating with an artist—and I had a very special one who came immediately to mind: D. Yael Bernhard.
I knew that working with Yael, the meaning and energy of each of my cards would take on a whole new level of potency.
Beautifully, Yael immediately agreed to be part of this project. And our journey getting to know each other, coming into a creative compatibility, and watching a third thing come together—our creation—has been inspiring and joyous.
In Yael’s blog post from July 2, she describes her experience of our collaboration and her artistic process with one of the cards in the deck, Integrity. Here is her post.
Illustrations © 2022 Durga Yael Bernhard.
This year I've been blessed with an illustration project that stretches across the entire year, taking me through all four seasons and touching upon nearly every facet of human experience. It's an original oracle deck – similar to Tarot, but with a mission all its own, to be titled The Power of the Yin. The author, who hails from Santa Fe but presently dwells in the Highlands of Scotland, has gestated her brainchild for many years in the cauldron of her unique and diverse practices. Daven Lee is a craniosacral therapist, a teacher of Qi Gong, a practitioner of earth-centered awareness, a leader of inspirational workshops, and a healer of individuals and couples. She's also one of the coolest people I've worked with, and I dare say we're both enjoying the project very much.
"Integrity" is the name of one of 58 cards that will make up this deck. Each illustration is accompanied by a short, suggestive text. An excerpt of the writing for "Integrity" reads:
Weave all these colors of you together
into one whole cloth.
The shadow and the shining.
The failure and the wisdom.
The barren and the replete.
Step forward and accept this many-colored cloth,
woven from the fibers of your being.
How does one visually represent a character trait? As I pondered the words, a figure came to mind, standing in her truth. She weaves of her flawed and checkered self a strong and supple fabric that fits and holds together. Its pattern is revealed in her gesture of self-ownership, both protective and declarative. To my surprise, a rather shield-like geometry emerged as she lifted her arms, strengthening the structural integrity of the design. I didn't want to add any details – I want the image to be as broad and open-ended as the text, so that the viewer may fill in her own story according to her own interpretation.
Then came the background – arcs of color contrasting the angular shapes, radiating from within the woman and surrounding her in her own light. Perfect!
My first thumbnail sketch was little more than an inch high, a postage-stamp-sized drawing of these basic shapes. The final illustration is 9"x12", acrylic on canvas. The printed cards will be 3.5"x5".
This illustration presented one of those times when I had to undo part of my own work. Undoing can be very important – and humbling. I started the painting with a monochromatic undercoat, then took a wrong turn when I applied the next layer of color. The palette was too dense – it needed to breathe. I had to let go of my attachment to a certain color combination, and cover a portion of each shape with white. Trial and error is scary when working on a commissioned piece, and I was relieved it worked out in the end. My preferences and agendas are not always what best serves the work. How appropriate, I thought, as the power of yin or feminine energy is that of intuition, responsiveness, and yielding to a soft knowing that speaks from within. In many ways the process of creating this deck has paralleled its message. I can see Daven smiling as I write these words.
Each week, Yael sends out a blog post featuring one of her images and telling its creation story. I love reading about her process and seeing the scope of her work. You can subscribe to her weekly email here.
We welcome your support for this project. Yael is creating over 56 original illustrations for this deck—and one of them could be yours when you support us!
I have created three donation levels that include very special bonus gifts. Click here to learn more about the project, our donation opportunities.
You can also pre-order your deck at an early bird price now!