Our latest interview is with Luna Charlotte, the creator of The Octopus Tarot - an intuitively drawn tarot deck based on the magick and mysteries of octopuses.
Luna is an artist who has been practicing art professionally for about 5 years, traveling and exposing my artwork at hundreds of events in 13 countries.
Each drawing in the deck started off as a totally intuitive drawing - which reflected entirely in their process. For example, if a card signified a time of rest and pause for Luna, that card would take her exceptionally longer than any of the others to complete as she would feel called to taking many breaks during its creation.
Kickstarter - The Octopus Tarot
Where in the world do you call home?
I’m based in Canada. I was born and raised here to parents who immigrated from France. As for calling it “home”, my travels have shown me many homes all over the globe to which I am equally if not more connected to than Canada.
What was your first experience with tarot and when did you fall in love with it?
My first experience with tarot was around 2011, I was living in a small town called Canmore, my best friend introduced me to tarot and I was gifted my first deck not long after that. To be totally honest, it took me a while to understand it, I just like drawing cards and looking at the pretty pictures.
You didn’t realise at first that the art you were creating was in fact a tarot deck. How surprised were you?
It was an interesting experience! Definitely made it feel like I was guided by something much bigger than me into this project. I have learned over the years that if you listen to the signs the Universe sends you, you always end up exactly where you should. Creating a tarot deck was a project of such grand scale I don’t think I would have embarked on this kind of journey had it not been by accident. Anyways, I’m glad that I did because this has been, and continues to be an extremely powerful experience with so much room to grow.
What would you say is unique about your deck?
When I started looking into it, I was actually shocked no one else had made an octopus-themed tarot… it just seemed like such an obvious match for some reason. Needless to say, the octopuses are therefore what makes it unique. In the same way these animals are totally unique in the animal kingdom, this deck is its own unique vibe.
How long has it taken you to create this deck?
Three years almost to the day!
We are living in such crazy times. How has the pandemic affected your creativity?
As someone that used to travel a lot, the pandemic has actually grounded me a lot. It gave me an opportunity to sit still and focus and finally complete this project. It also allowed me to create a much better foundation for my business as an artist to stand upon. It may not have been the most creative time of my life, but it’s definitely helped me get my ducks in a row.
What have been your challenges in creating this deck?
Despite the creation of the art accounting for the larger part of the time spent on this project and the hardest to get through, the logistics afterward are definitely what I would consider the most challenging bit. I remember finishing the last drawing and having this burst of excitement quickly followed by the weight of the realization that I had to now; write a book, digitize the files, find a manufacturer, and create a Kickstarter campaign. The last few months have been intensive, to say the least. And this being my first Kickstarter, I hadn’t anticipated the amount of work that would be required post-launch! I have been non-stop answering messages and editing files and organizing interviews since its launch. Not to mention the countless business opportunities that came out of it that I’m managing behind the scenes!
Tell us more about your theory that the octopus has the ability to grant wishes.
I actually laughed out loud at this question. It all began a bit over 3 years ago. I had been staying with a friend who happened to have a matching octopus stuffed animal. So we started painting an octopus painting together while listening to podcasts about these strange critters. Pretty much, the more we knew, the weirder they got and we somehow concluded that the only explanation was that they must be genies. And what do genies do? Well… they grant wishes! So we started making a wish every time we saw an octopus and started telling people about how they grant wishes. No one knew we made it up, but no one seemed to question it - it just made sense. I mean, every wish that I have wished upon an octopus seems to have come true so there must be an element of truth to it. I remember the day I realized the myth had caught on when I was painting an octopus at a festival in Australia and someone came up to me and said “did you know they grant wishes?!”
How will you celebrate when the deck is finally published?
I’ve been so caught up in the moment that I haven’t even thought about this actually. I already have so many plans for other projects afterward that this just feels like a big item to tick off the endless checklist of massive projects. I should go diving. That’s what I should do. Go back and visit the creatures that started it all.
What is on offer for people who pledge?
Well first off, my endless appreciation for their contribution to bringing this dream to life. Otherwise, there is the Octopus Tarot deck, there’s a playing card version of the deck, original drawings are available as well as prints, and currently, we have unlocked a few stretch goals including 2 stickers and an octopus fact pdf. There were pins but I think they’re sold out already. I have many more stretch goals planned to make the deal as sweet as possible for all the incredible backers that are willing to invest in this passion project of mine.
IG: @lunacharlotteart
TikTok: @lunacharlotteart
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lunacharlotteart
If you'd like to back this deck and maybe make a wish on an octopus, click here:
Kickstarter - The Octopus Tarot