Melissa Cynova 
I met so many amazing people at my first Readers Studio in New York. One of those was Shelley Carter, Shelley is an artist and a tarot reader who lives in probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen – Elora, Ontario, Canada.
Shelley and 65 of her fellow artists created a tarot deck comprised of 78 works of art. I’ve owned a couple of decks with contributions from various artists – the Amanda Palmer tarot, for example. One of the drawbacks to a multi-artist deck is that the different artistic styles can seem disjointed. I’m happy to say this is not the case in the Elora Tarot. All of the cards go together – even though they’re full of wildly different styles. I wish I could have been there for the gallery showing of all of the works! You can see pictures below.
Shelley let me have a copy of this beauty for review, and it did not disappoint. She also answered the questionnaire so we could get to know her better!
The Review!
Artwork – This deck is ridiculously beautiful. Each card is unique in both the style and interpretation of tarot meanings. And the Devil Card holds a secret.
The Suits – This isn’t a standard tarot deck, so there isn’t a standard across the suits. You can tell what each card represents (and there are titles just in case).
Representation – There are both queer folks and people of color!
Cardstock – Larger cards with pretty sturdy cardstock.
The Book! – The card descriptors come from the artists themselves, which is fantastic. You also get to learn a little about each artist. The descriptions are succinct and helpful.
Shufflability – They’re big, but manageable.
Should you buy this deck? Yes. Not only are they lovely, but you’ll be supporting a community of artists. Can’t get much better than that.
LFT Questionnaire
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What you appreciate the most in your friends. A sense of humour, creativity and intelligence
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Your idea of happiness. Discovering a new destination with my family
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Your idea of misery. Being in a cramped space with no escape for an extended period
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Your favorite colors and flowers. Periwinkle blue, and purple … irises and peonies
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Your favorite poets. No one specific, but I enjoy a good haiku
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Your heroes/heroines in fiction. Morgaine in The Mists of Avalon
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What role does divination play in your life? More than a hobby, less than a career, it’s a persona
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Your heroes/heroines in real life. Stephen Lewis, Canadian politician, brilliant speaker, former UN Special Envoy for HIV in Africa
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What is your present state of mind? Grateful, engaged
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What is your favorite tarot deck or divination tool? The Elora Tarot, of course! I know the back stories and read with them in mind
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Your favorite songs? Anything I can dance to!
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What is your favorite word? Diaphanous … so onomatopoeic!
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What is your least favorite word? Must … I instantly want to rebel!
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What sound or noise do you love? My family laughing together
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What sound or noise do you hate? Taunting
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What turns you on? Cleverness, a brilliant use of language
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What turns you off? Dogma
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What is your favorite curse word? Horseshit … bullshit doesn’t quite cut it
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If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Psych!
