Set 1 of January Abstract Shape Experiment
This month I’m studying shapes as a focus for my art practice. This is the first set of 16 cards. The self-created assignment is to pick one shape idea and play with it 16 ways on 4X6” Bristol paper—And then see what I learn. This first set I stuck with black rectangle marks using a Copic marker.
Overall, I love the graphic boldness of all these compositions in one set. And I see that marks composed in patterns—or even figures—works better than marks not repeating in any pattern except to make a shape (like cards #2-5) if you count top to bottom, left to right.
I really dislike #15 - white space on all the others is much more soothing! As for my favorite cards, hmmm, I like the movement and change in the marks in cards #8, #10, #11. And I’m surprised that when shapes are made into figures #9 and #16, it really pleases me. Shapes create figures—and texture.
"More vs. Less" meme of the new year
What you want MORE of and what do you want less of in the new year?
A good way to practice simple illustrations to describe what I want more of and what I want less of in 2026. I wonder what if I get what I want—I’ll have to come back to this spread in December.
Tarot Card of the Year - Illustrated Journal
2026 Year of Wheel of Fortune and The Magician
The Tarot Card of the Year for 2026 is Wheel of Fortune. I’ve been following Theresa Reed (aka The Tarot Lady) for years for her sass her weekly Hit List, which always contains a bit of sass and some good links.
I love the Tarot, not because of whether or not they hold clairvoyant properties so much as I recognize that our intuition and subconscious speaks in imagery and symbolism and we ourselves are definitely connected to a larger Unknown wisdom. So I’m not interested in predicting the future—but I do love to listen to what my inner Self is trying to tell me.
Add up the numbers of the year and you get 2+0+2+6 = 10 Wheel of Fortune—or 1+0=1 The Magician. It does feel like this year is ripe for change and manifestation, which these cards represent. It was so lovely to throw paper and glue and ink and paint together to represent all this possibility.