Thoth Tarot 1943

Lady Frieda Harris made this tarot card with watercolour. It's a process that is all about layers and transparency, letting the light shine through the pigment. Look at how the colours overlap and blend. It is a bit like alchemy, isn't it? She creates a feeling of depth and complexity through relatively simple gestures. The texture of the paper peeks through, reminding us of the physical act of painting. I find it so interesting how watercolor is about embrace control and surrender, all at once. Notice the red lightning bolts shooting out from the center, piercing through the geometric forms. They’re like jolts of energy, disrupting the calm symmetry of the design. The colors work so well together, but are they harmonious? Or is there tension here? Art doesn't need to resolve itself, it can simply exist.