Tom-Tom

Many creators use a different name for the second trump of their tarot. Rather than The High Priestess, some shorten it to just The Priestess, where as others change it entirely. In the Gay Tarot by Lee Bursten, it is named The Intuitive. For the same gender reasoning, I have altered the title of my version too.

I have always been interested in clowns. Surprisingly, as a child, I would not leave our second floor flat if I saw someone outside dressed as one. They prettified me then. But as I got older, the more theatrical side of clowns and jesters became an interest.

In my early 20s, I had two bedrooms at my parent's house. The one I slept in was painted in childlike orange and aqua. On the walls were many framed pictures of clowns. Mostly from fashion shoots. Hanging around my bed were puppets, and sitting in various places were old rag dolls and shining Pierrots. My friend and I would dress up as them and photograph one another, so it is not completely unusual for me to turn to Pierrot as a basis for my self-portrait now.

When I think of The High Priestess, I see her as a guide. She is what lurks beneath our consciousness. In recent times, she has urged me to follow gut reactions. Today, I have been linked very much to my subconscious, regarding work decisions. The High Priestess is your very own Tom-Tom. You know what a Tom-Tom is, don't you? Those things you put in your car to help you when you are lost. When conscious thought and decision has been switched off, this card relates to that personal navigation system which we all have, helping us to steer our way out of trouble. The silent clown is mine - waiting on his moon, amongst the stars, until he is needed.