TABI Silver Jubilee Art Competition
Welcome to the TABI Silver Jubilee Art Competition Gallery! We set up this gallery page to allow voters to view the images at their highest quality and to read each artist's description. Voting will happen on the forum. Once you've reviewed the entries, you can click the button below to return and cast your vote.
The Entries
The banner below previews the six entries in the competition. Entries are listed in alphabetical order by title. You can click on each image for a larger view, but please scroll down to find each artist's description of their submission to the right of each image.
Be sure to read all the descriptions before casting your vote. Some contestants have submitted concepts for their entries. If a conceptual entry wins, a volunteer artist will assist in bringing the creator's vision to life.
ENTRY #1
ENTRY #2
ENTRY #3
ENTRY #4
ENTRY #5
ENTRY #6
Entry #1: THE ANCHOR
Entry #1: The Anchor
This card is based on the archetype of the anchor. Its meanings are multiple, but at its essence it reflects a stage of development in which we have attained enough ego strength and integration of the personality (The World, Card 21) to begin the journey beyond. With sufficient work done on developing our emotional, psychological and physical maturity—perhaps through reaching a certain age or stage in life, or through the resolution of multiple cycles of chaos—we can begin to more fully explore and develop the integration of our physical, aging bodies with the spiritual, and soul or destiny dimensions of life.
The card imagery reflects grounding the deeper explorations and weavings of the self and the transpersonal self within an identity or personality that now intuitively anchors all elements deep beneath the water—that is, deep within the psyche.The Fool’s journey continues, though the elements are no longer laid out externally like the Magician card shows, but instead exist deep within the inner world of the psyche.
Wisdom and learning—a deeper intelligence, symbolised by the octopus—extends its tendrils to guide and navigate this next stage. In this phase, life must be encountered as a preparation for what lies beyond death, while we still inhabit the mortal body. It is here that we begin to understand more deeply, and arrive at our own conclusions about the soul, the spirit, and what exists beyond the mortal coil. The is also why the imagery includes the symbol of the ankh and play on words ankhor ‘anchor’.
Only once we are fully anchored within ourselves—having endured and integrated enough dark nights of the souls and challenging experience of life - having sufficiently integrated our shadow and inner depths through these processes—can we truly ascend and descend more completely.”
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Entry #2: Hearthfire
Entry #2: Hearthfire
Background
Hearthfire welcomes you to the domain of Vesta, the goddess tending the divine fire that creates and animates everything in the universe. The 6 women we call Vestal Virgins were her priestesses, and they tended an avatar of this sacred flame in the Roman forum’s Temple of Vesta for over a thousand years – from the 8th century BCE until 394CE. The role gave them special privileges in society, unique among Roman women, because Vesta’s temple was the symbolic hearth of Rome itself. Just like the hearth in our homes, it was a symbol of safety, prosperity, and longevity. Even though the Vestal fire is gone, we are each called to tend our own spark, our own flame. It connects us to Source as it always has and always will.
Card description
In the Hearthfire card, you are approaching the top of the Tree of Life from above, pausing before you begin a new cycle. Here you are One with Source, watching the infinite play of ending and beginning; you have experienced the conclusion of The World, but haven’t yet regrouped and gathered yourself in The Fool.
The flame and temple of Vesta are reflected first in Kether, the white arch. From here, you watch the (re)creation of everything from nothing through the spheres on the Tree of Life: Silver and the starry universe for Chockmah with 6 glyphs for planetary goddesses; Black for the limitless potential of Binah; the vast expanse of a clear blue sky for Chesed; Red for the discipline of Geburah; and the bright golden glow of the Sun in Tiphareth. From there, the divine light is refracted into the rainbow that we can see, giving us Green for the earthly beauty of Netzach; Orange for the mental clarity of Hod; and Purple for Yesod which, via the astral plane, brings us our cumulative spiritual connection with everything that came before. Malkuth, Earth, is not yet formed – that final manifestation is up to you.
Card Advice
When you draw Hearthfire, you are being asked to return your attention to your own inner fire – what you might call your Divine Will or your life path – that which is behind your face and your name. Look at your situation from before the beginning: before things were defined and categorised. Give yourself space and air for your fire to flourish. The question you have can only be answered there. In reverse, Hearthfire asks you to consider where you might be smothering what you know to be true. Sometimes we deny what’s lit up right in front of us, missing opportunities to step into the flow of the universe.
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Entry #3: Queen of Wand's cat
Entry #3: Queen of Wand's cat
Queen of Wand's cat
Name suggestions: Pluto, Onyx, Sage, Trickster, Persephone, Hekate, Serena, Pandora.
An interesting aspect of our lives on Earth is the existence of companion energy beings. A commonly used term is 'familia', which often are present in our lives as pets; however, they are actually energetic beings that exist in the cosmic ether who have a quantum entanglement with us. The actions by these familia magical pets are not always recognised or acknowledged by humans. Yet most familia' activities are interventions, yet we mostly see them as silly, playful things with teeth and claws. They are often believed to have had previous lives on Earth and are sometimes thought to house the spirit of a cranky ancestor. Humans often do not consider the familia as ancestors from the extended timeline. In spirit form, the familia act as guides, existing in the background energy noise and continuously moving in and out of our various lives. They are sometimes perceived as ghosts or magical animals and are nearly always anthropomorphised, given personalities and characteristics, often seen as people, fairies, angels, elves, or in this case, adoptive animals. Mostly, they appear friendly and attentive, like a cat. Their presence, influence and intervention can go largely unattributed, but our cat familia know what is going on!
I know the PCS Tarot folk lore says the the cats name is Snuffles, but its not very mystical. My favored names are the 'P' names. Pluto was Edgar Allen Poe's cat. Also the celestial bodies in the image all could her name i.e. Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, Terra, Mars, Luna, and Pluto.
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Entry #4: Sovereignty
Entry #4: Sovereignty (Art TBD)
The traditional Major Arcana concludes with #21 The World, representing cosmic unity and the completion of a cycle. Sovereignty is that subsequent stage of development that represents the post-game of the soul’s journey – the moment of total, conscious self-mastery where you’re ready to begin the Fool’s Journey again, but from a significantly higher vibration and through a more mature lens.
The card is designed to reflect absolute balance and the integration of opposites.
The Celestial Backdrop
The sky is divided into a day/night featuring both the sun in a bright-blue sky and the moon in a starry night. This represents mastery over both the conscious and subconscious realms. And the juxtaposition of the Emperor being in daytime while the Empress guards the night adds to the message of balance and wholeness of self.
The Integrated Monarchs
In the castle turrets, the Emperor and Empress appear together, but with a deliberate juxtaposition of their traditional attributes. The Emperor holds the Cup and Pentacle, signifying mastery over emotion and the material. The Empress holds the Sword and Wand, representing the command of intellect and willpower. This demonstrates that true sovereignty is found when we integrate our ‘opposite’ traits.
The Foundation
At the base of the castle, the planets of the solar system are arranged in an infinity symbol. This signifies that the individual has internalised the macrocosm – as above, so below. It also signifies a deeper understanding that we have to master ourselves to be masters – the royals being above in the planets – of our own Universe, not just our little World on that particular Fool’s Journey.
The Environment
The castle sits on a high hill overlooking perfectly calm water, symbolising a mind that’s achieved total emotional regulation and peace.
The juxtaposition shows acceptance of those traits in the opposite sex: knowing men can cry and women can chop trees down, etc.
The Reverse meaning would indicate a narcissistic personality, arrogance, someone who thinks they know it all and have nothing left to learn but who actually needs to continue their journey.
Correspondences:
Number: 25
Planet: Earth (the grounded integration of all planetary forces)
Element: Aether / Spirit
Chakra: Crown
Decans: The Zodiac Wheel Entire
Yes/No: Confidently Yes
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Entry #5: The Vortex
Entry #5: The Vortex
Card description
Each tarot card corresponds to a path on the Tree of Life. It stands to reason that a new tarot card should too. The Major Arcana corresponds to the paths on the Tree that connect each sephira.
What happens on the Tree of Life when Da’ath opens? Path 13, which spans the Abyss (connecting Tiphereth and Kether), is split in two.
The Vortex is path 33. It corresponds to Da’ath, Uranus and the “lost” letter Ghayin.
Da’ath is usually translated as “knowledge” or “consciousness”. The knowledge is that which can only be gained through experience. However, to reach the supernal triangle everything that you thought you knew must be obliterated.
The orbs
Da’ath is said to be “the key that includes six”, opening the six chambers of the heart and filling them with life-force. These “chambers" are the six sephiroth below the supernal triangle and above Malkuth. At the same time, Da’ath is all ten sephiroth united as one. These are represented in the card by the colourful orbs.
The heart
An unravelled heart wraps around the centre of the card. The mammalian heart is not a pump, but a helical vortex generator. Da Vinci discovered this after extensive study, and modern scientific research has confirmed this.
Seal of Solomon
The number six is represented geometrically in the Seal of Solomon - two interlacing triangles, one black and one white. This also represents polarity, light and dark, good and evil, female and male, spirit and matter. It’s being in the presence of the ‘other’ that enables self-awareness through reflection. “Who am I, and who are you?” These positive and negative forces create an electromagnetic field.
Ghayin
Ghayin was an early Hebrew letter, but no longer exists in modern Hebrew, having been absorbed into the letter Ayin. Its meaning is mostly likely ‘twisted’, ‘dark’ and ‘wicked’; this is expressed in its pictograph of a twisted rope. Its numerical value is 1000.
The background is sky blue and white gradient, to reflect the card’s placement on the Tree; below Kether and above Tiphereth (blue sky for a sunny day). The gold flecks represent enlightenment and purification. The
Vortex in a reading:
In the Vortex, what you thought you knew is instantly turned on its head. This is not the destruction of false stability as in the Tower. Consciousness expands, through heart-centred innovation and discovery.
Hate leads to understanding. Your fear becomes your totem. Experiential knowledge reconciles seemingly antithetical concepts. "Nothing is true and everything is possible”.
An example
I will use a story to illustrate how to read this card. During my post-grad I was put in a group with two others. Inexplicably, they shut me out, initially pretended they would work with me but did everything to avoid me. To me, this risked my assessment and I was furious at the treatment. They didn’t even know me! I really felt I hated them. The emotions were so intense the negativity was spilling out into daily life, so I researched the psychology of hate because I felt this would help me to process what I was going through.
Hate can happen when another person acts in a way we do not allow ourselves to. As a recovering people-pleaser, making sure others around me were taken care of or supported was paramount. And yet, being overly concerned for others had contributed to anxiety, depression and burnout. Why was I so worried about others’ wellbeing over my own? Maybe I could learn something here.
Additionally, I’d experienced in the past what I felt to be over-the-top anger and annoyance from others. Ridiculed for things like my clothes, my interests, even the way I talk. I had internalised this as my fault, when in fact it was a reflection of how they felt about themselves.
The feelings of hatred were instantly neutralised, and I had unlocked a greater understanding of myself and the root of past experiences. Engaging in this polarising experience turned everything on its head in one moment, and it’s a lesson I am grateful for.
The Vortex will turn what you thought you knew on your head, but not like the Tower. It doesn’t destroy, it only expands. Everything gained by the time you’ve reached The World is augmented, yet neutralised, allowing you to let it go before stepping back into The Fool.
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Entry #6: XXV
Entry #6: XXV
XXV imagines a card beyond The World—not a new ending, but what comes after. I arrived at the image and theme by extending the internal logic of the RWS Major Arcana, laying out the cards in three rows of 7, and looking at column 5 - Hierophant, Hanged Man, Sun—and thought about what would follow truth, surrender, and illumination. The answer I kept returning to was a theme of amplification and disruption. In the image, the central figure stands as a conduit beneath a radiant halo, receiving light from above and passing it through a prism and is redirected outward. The two smaller figures echo that split result: one is breaking apart into shadow and fragments, the other is lit from within at the heart, suggesting disruption and ignition, loss and awakening, signal and transformation. The style of the card pays homage to Pamela Coleman Smith.
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