Circle of Doors Tarot, a dynamic duo featuring Brian and Jill, will be offering insightful readings at the upcoming Salon on July 31st, 2024. Today, we delve into their fascinating work and explore the influences that have shaped their unique approach to tarot.
1. Why do you make this type of art?
Jill: I create soulful art through photography and multimedia. My work explores life's spiritual narratives, capturing timeless moments of legacy and mystery.
Brian: I write about Tarot and perform readings because I’ve found it to be an incredibly powerful healing art. The fact that a deck of cards can move people to tears will never cease to amaze me. We are all so hungry for a feeling of intimacy with the mysteries of life, and Tarot is a beautiful way to cultivate that intimacy.
2. Did you always want to be an artist?
Jill: I have always been artistically inclined, but it wasn't until I fully immersed myself in being a full-time professional artist that I gained the confidence to wholeheartedly embrace the title. I believe everyone is an artist, just as everyone has magic in their lives; it's a matter of perception and leaning into it.
Brian: I’ve been an artist since I was a very young child. Early on, I focused entirely on drawing and illustration. I later discovered myself as a writer, and my journey has woven itself across many different expressions of words and pictures, both separately and together. When I was younger, I was single-mindedly pursuing a career in animation, but in the years since, I’ve found so many more avenues to explore.
3. Do you listen to music while you create? If so, what is on your playlist?
Jill: I use music to complement my mood and energy, creating and inspiring a vibe. Currently, I'm listening to Tune Ranger, Skinshape, and Glass Beams. As a DJ, I'm constantly listening, seeking, and collecting music and artists that resonate with me.
Brian: I often do very focused writing work in complete silence, but I always use music as a transition between the chapters of the day, so I’ll make playlists and choose albums for each creative project, and I’ll listen to them as a way to get myself into the zone. For Circle of Doors Tarot, the music is often from the transformational festivals like the one where I first met Jill and Anne. Some standouts for me are Bonobo, Tycho, Sofi Tukker, Beats Antique, Rüfüs Du Sol, Four Tet.
4. Who are your biggest influences?
Jill: Tim Walker is one of my greatest photographic influences; his dark, fairy tale, and obscure style is mesmerizing. My creative partner, Anne Staveley, is an influential collaborator and soul sister, co-conspiring our co-creations in our photographic series and installations. My child continually amazes me, guiding me to be a better, more loving person.
Brian: Alejandro Jodorowsky continues to be one of my biggest influences. From his films to his graphic novels to his work with Tarot, he represents deep mastery of my favorite forms of expression. Some writers who have had a major impact on me have been Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, Neale Donald Walsch, Bayo Akomolafe, Jospeh Campbell, Neville Goddard, and Clarissa Pinkola Estés.
5. What has been a seminal experience?
Jill: Creating the Circle of Doors Tarot deck and its interactive art installation has been one of the greatest achievements of my life. It has revealed the profound power of tarot, magic, collaboration, and sisterhood. This project has been my most impactful creation, sparking conscious conversations around the world. The project continues to inspire me every day.
Brian: A seminal experience for me was being at the Circle of Doors Tarot installation at Burning Man in 2022 and hearing strangers joyously reading aloud to each other the words that I wrote. To be able to experience the impact the words had on them without needing to create an encounter to introduce myself as the writer became a beautiful and profound reflection.
6. Name something you love (anything) and why.
Jill: I love cooking and hosting for friends and family, creating experiences where we share our stories, gifts, and hearts. I believe that nurturing these webs of connection is a divinely feminine act that enriches our lives.
Brian: I have a deep love for forests and trees, and I’ve been getting to know the Angeles Forest more recently. The level of peace and groundedness that I feel when walking a forest valley trail is deep medicine for mind, body, and spirit. I have lots of love for the refined magic of cities, but I always need to return periodically to the wild magic of the woods.
