The tarot, photography, and fear

Embracing Creative Anxiety Through Tarot

Ever since I was young, ideas for creative projects would appear in my mind. The process of bringing those ideas to life has given me my deepest experiences of flow and fulfillment.

On Friday night, I imagined a series of mini-books combining tarot and my photography. For the past 2.5 years, I've been studying tarot with Laurie Blackwell. (Thank you, Laurie!) I emailed her on November 22, 2022:

“I'm interested in working with you regularly if you're up for it. I want to dive deep with tarot as a tool for self-discovery, not just through readings but also through understanding each card better. Does that make sense?”

Over the past few years, we've met more than 50 times to explore the intersection of tarot and the human experience—card by card (see some of my first notes from our calls above). I still feel I've only scratched the surface of the wisdom this medium offers.

Which is what brings me to Friday night. Creating vulnerable work teaches us about ourselves. Tarot has helped me navigate the uncomfortable feelings that arise when making art. I pull cards daily and work with them. They offer helpful and empowering messages whenever I'm uncertain. So, I brought together my photography and tarot through the mini-book in the video above.

Here are the messages sinking in this week through tarot and making things…

I can be an artist without confirmation from the outside world via revenue and praise.

I can follow my curiosity just because it's there and I can fully embrace the joy and fear it brings.

The only validation I need is the indescribable knowing I get when I create something I love.

Whatever evolves through the art I create is not something I can or should try to control.

The anxiety of embodying my vocation as an artist is not a warning sign—it is adversity that I can grow through.

I’ve been writing a lot about anxiety, doubt, and insecurity lately. For me, these feelings are the biggest threats to making art. The more I normalize and understand why fear comes up in the creative process, the more I’m likely to keep going, which is the ultimate goal.

xo, Corinne