FROM OUR WORKSHOP: The Queen of Pentacles

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The Queen of Pentacles © September 22, 2009 (Fall Equinox) by Donna L. Faber, is the first in a tarot card series (that I may or may not finish). It is done on Strathmore Bristol 300 Series Vellum with Staedler pigment liner pens, Prismacolor premiere markers, and good old fashioned Crayola Pip-Squeaks. She’s been cut out, assembled from three separate pieces, and will be mounted for framing.

This was a very inspired piece that came quickly and precisely through my pen, as though she was eager to emerge, as though she had something to prove. Perhaps she does.

The Queen of Pentacles is one of four minor arcana queens in a typical 72 card tarot desk used for divination. Each of the Queens has certain characteristics indicative of the suit they’re in. They can be, and often are, symbolic of a specific person when they appear in a reading. I’ve gotten in the habit of providing a narrative for new works of art, as each come from a personal place of intense inspiration. I’ll do the same for this piece. You’ll note that in ways this narrative may differ from the standard Queen of Pentacles description.

Who is the Queen of Pentacles?
The Queen of Pentacles is a mature woman who is pragmatic and appreciates the value of hard work. She may not be the Queen of a kingdom, but she is certainly the Queen of her family. She demonstrates a practical awareness that empowers her and others; shares her gifts abundantly, but uses discernment and savvy in their distribution. She has a keen, logical mind, goes about her work quietly, but in the stillness of her thoughts can solve the most confusing dilemmas. She always seeks a solution. Her meditation is found in the garden with her hands in the dirt surrounded by blooming flowers, butterflies, hummingbirds, and busy bees. These sacred messengers are all part of nature’s bounty, synonymous with her bounty, all of which she is in tune with quite naturally. She also embodies the attributes of earth, and like earth, cannot and will not be moved unless she wills it. The Queen of Pentacles expresses her love through hard work and provision, and wants to share everything she has with her children, whom she loves very much. She has an appreciation for the finer things in life, but it is because she’s earned them, not because they were handed to her. She has purposefully instilled that value in her daughters.

Her smile is genuine, and when she willingly and genuinely bestows it upon you, or throws her head back in laughter, she is radiant. Like the light of a hundred suns, the Queen’s beauty emanates from deep within. This renders her quite breathtaking, although she is not what is typically considered beautiful. Beneath the softness and pliancy of mature skin are muscles and bones made of steel, hard and durable, forged from years of hard work, good food, and physical fitness. This strength and endurance serve her well now. As the world changes and economic times are increasingly tenuous, she knows she can count on her physical strength to carry her through. This is her quiet pride. She is not vain, but she is proud.

The Evolved Queen of Pentacles
The Queen of Pentacles has experienced dark nights of the spirit. She has stared the Dark Mother in the eyes; at times in terror, and in other times, acceptance. Her eyes, in fact, have seen great sorrow, but still retain their luster. Her personal pain is reformed but not forgotten, symbolized by a single dark tear on her cheek. She no longer punishes herself for short comings, and what was once anxiety no longer holds sway over the health of her emotional body. A radiating spiral on the other cheek acknowledges the magic inherent within her, the natural force she was once uncomfortable with, but now embraces. In the wisdom of maturity, this Queen forgave herself the sins heaped upon her (by herself and others) in order to claim her worthiness and happiness. She did not stop to ask anyone’s permission but her own.

This queen acknowledges and accepts all aspects of herself (although some aspects remain very private), leading to increasing realization of the multi-faceted Goddess within.

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She is your mother, grandmother, aunt, sister or friend.

Perhaps she is simply a special acquaintance.

In her practical, well groomed and well tailored way, she is a force to be reckoned with.

She is also a very inspired piece of art.

She is the Queen of Pentacles.

The muse dances and I must create.

Lei ha ispirato questo pezzo. Sono molto lieto che abbiamo incontrato. La ringrazio per la continua a ispirare me in tanti modi.

So much love,
D~