Deck Review: I Am The Artist Tarot by Sakki-Sakki
My most recent deep dive was into the ‘I Am The Artist’ Tarot by Monicka Clio Sakki. I love the OG Sakki Sakki Tarot, but by the time I got into Tarot it was already out of print, and second hand copies were $$$ 🥵. So I was super excited when the creator announced she was doing a second (revised) edition. It’s such bright, beautiful, joyous deck! Also: hooray, Spring is here and I can photograph with proper flowers in my garden/local park again!
The deck comes with a thick, paperback sized guidebook, Playing With Symbols, that gives plenty of detail on each card, as well as an overall guide to tarot and spreads etc. The card backs are quite muted (with a cool amoeba type design), but the cards themselves are an explosion of colour! The card stock is quite thin (so easy to shuffle) but feels sturdy. They’re not matt finish, but neither are they super slippery.
The deck as a whole is such a stunning riot of colour! It makes me smile every time I look at it. The illustrations are pretty faithful to RWS imagery, so it’s mainly the art style and colour that make it so unique and fun to work with.
Because the images themselves are fairly “traditional”, a lot of my favourite cards stand out to me less because they convey the card’s message in a clever/novel way (which is what I usually gravitate towards in new decks), and more because I just adore the rich, art deco art style. The artist has such a talent for gorgeously vivid colour combinations and I really love the slightly surrealist, découpage style of the artwork.
I’m a little bit synesthesic (is that even a word? idk), and the colours Sakki-Sakki has chosen really vibe with the message of the card. The Hermit’s lamp matching their bright concealing cape (you are the light!) The sunflower optimism of the 7 of Pents (which sometimes can be a card that toys with elements of disappointment / hard work come to naught, but I like this optimistic take). The motion captured in the dancing World card. The 70s dream-y vibe of the 4 of Wands. And the bold red cloak of the 8 of Cups – often quite a sad card, but the colours here emphasise how brave it is to walk away from something that used to make you happy but is not working any more, and/or seek a fresh perspective.
Overall, I do really love this deck, but I think it might be a bit abstract/esoteric to use in readings with others (for me, anyway). But I’ll certainly use it for myself, and will also just shuffle through it regularly because IT’S SO PRETTY & JOYOUS!
Here’s my deck interview with the I Am The Artist Tarot:
Tell me about yourself? What is your most important characteristic as a deck?
The Tower: Woah, not pulling any punches here! This is a deck that encourages – and can advise on – radical, difficult, change.
What are your strengths as a deck?
The Hermit: Very appropriate considering I’d decided I probably wouldn’t use this deck to read for others, but just myself – this is a good deck for introspection and self-work.
What are your limits as a deck?
9 of Swords: This card comes up so often in my deck interview spreads! With some decks saying “I’m here to help you work with all that crippling anxiety” and others, like this one, saying “I’ll work best with you when you’re ready to believe in yourself and make brave choices”
What do you require from me in return? How can I best collaborate with you?
10 of Cups – I need to be prepared to accept happiness. Which I’m not always good at doing. Lol.
What is the potential quality of our relationship?
7 of Cups – This deck can help me dare to dream! But also to make better choices that are grounded in reality.
In what space / with what type of query will you best communicate?
3 of Pents – OK, OK, I get it – this deck wants me to work with it, as part of a team.
So many “don’t fight the message” vibes coming through here!
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