Last Saturday, I visited Notre-Dame de Paris for the first time, at least the inside of the cathedral! Although I’d seen it from the outside many times, I’d never actually gone in to explore its interior, either before or after the fire.
The cathedral looked beautifully restored, and I enjoyed admiring its magnificent stained glass windows, along with a few artworks by different artists. Notre-Dame is located on Île de la Cité, a small island in the Seine right in the heart of Paris. After my visit, I wandered across the nearby Île Saint-Louis, another island in central Paris just next to Île de la Cité, on my way home, and that’s when I unexpectedly came across a little mineral boutique.
Pyrite and rose quartz, always on display near the entrance of my home.
I actually became interested in minerals and crystals around the same time I first became interested in Tarot. Since then, I’ve slowly started collecting little pieces whenever I come across something I really love and feel drawn to enough to bring home. I’ve always enjoyed browsing crystal shops whenever I happen to pass one, although I rarely end up buying anything. Many of the pieces are beautiful, but after all, finding a little piece that truly speaks to you can take time.
This time, as I stood mesmerized in front of the boutique’s window on Île Saint-Louis, one particular object caught my eye. It was a tiny box made of green malachite. It was small enough to hold just a ring or a few little pieces of jewelry, and I was immediately drawn to its adorable size and the beautiful patterns of the stone.
I asked the shop assistant, who might have been the owner, what malachite was known for in terms of its symbolic (or energetic) properties. He seemed a little caught off guard, but calmly explained that their shop approached minerals from a scientific perspective, so they didn’t really deal with those kinds of meanings or symbolism.
I replied that it was totally fine. Of course, I don’t necessarily expect these little stones to have medical or miraculous powers. But just as flowers have their own symbolic meanings, I find it fascinating that the things we encounter in nature can carry certain associations and stories. So I like knowing a little about those meanings.
Anyway, I was really happy to leave the store with this little malachite box and a small desert rose, another type of crystal formation I’ve always liked. I later found out that malachite is often associated with transformation and transition, and I’ve been keeping it on a shelf in my bedroom, using it to hold my rings. Its rich, luminous green is so beautiful, and perhaps because green makes me think of abundance and the earth, I feel that it fits perfectly into the atmosphere of my bedroom. I also like the little ritual of putting my rings away before going to sleep, with the hope of welcoming a beautiful new “transition” the next day.
A few of my little crystals, including the new malachite box and a desert rose I found at Carion Minéreaux on Île Saint-Louis. They cost €50 and €5, respectively.
Thinking a little more about the meanings of colors and forms in terms of symbolism, I often notice how all of this connects to my own artistic practice. Symbolism has played a significant role in the images I create, especially since I began working on Mellow Schema Tarot.
One book that I used almost like an encyclopedia while creating Mellow Schema Tarot was The Book of Symbols. It has been a wonderful guide whenever I’ve wanted to explore the symbolic associations behind particular words and concepts. From A to Z, it covers an incredibly wide range of symbols across different categories, from nature and the human world to spiritual and imaginative realms.
When creating an image, I often work not only with what is immediately visible, but also with the meanings and stories that exist beneath its surface. Some symbols have an intuitive power that we can feel almost instantly. Others carry histories, cultural associations, and many different layers of interpretation. Bringing these elements into an image allows me to tell a richer story through my artwork.
In some ways, symbolism is an incredibly effective visual language. But at the same time, it makes me feel a greater sense of responsibility as an artist. After all, whenever I draw something, the question of how to use a symbol naturally comes into play. I’m also choosing how to interpret and express the power and meaning it carries.
This process has become even more important and meaningful to me through a project I’ve been working on over the past few months, Soul Mirror Reading & Portrait. Soul Mirror is a personal card reading and bespoke portrait experience that I’ve been offering for a while now. I begin by exploring each person’s current situation and questions through Tarot and oracle cards, then write a reading that reflects the themes, possibilities, and insights that emerge. Toward the end of the reading, I also explore the symbolic meanings of colors and suggest a color that might offer something meaningful or supportive to the person.
The second part of Soul Mirror involves creating a personal artwork called a Soul Mirror Portrait. Inspired by the person’s story and reading, I bring together colors, forms, and symbols with the intention of offering something hopeful for the chapter of life they’re moving through.
A recent Soul Mirror Portrait, created for a personal reading, printed as a giclée art print, and mailed to its recipient.
For this particular portrait, I found myself imagining beautiful, luminous colors, almost like a rainbow. I've created quite a few personal portraits by now, but this time, the image that came to mind felt especially radiant. In The Book of Symbols, there’s a beautiful passage about the rainbow that stayed with me: “After the storm, the rainbow appears, emblem of promise.” The passage goes on to explore the rainbow as a symbol of renewal, a bridge between the visible and invisible worlds, and a connection to imagination, magic, and creativity. I found these meanings especially beautiful in relation to the reading I had just completed.
In this portrait, the flowing rainbow-like colors gradually came together to form something resembling a cup or vessel, echoing The Vessel, the card that had appeared in the reading. This vessel form represented a space holding femininity, creativity, emotions, and the new possibilities beginning to grow within this person’s life. At the center, a warm golden light shines brightly, reflecting the energies of attraction, creativity, and joy that had emerged throughout the reading. The small white dots represent protective eyes, quietly surrounding and watching over the person as they move into a new chapter. Together, the image feels like a warm vessel filling with beautiful light, ready to hold and nurture something new. I often go through a process of simplifying what I want to express into colors and forms like these. But what I also find fascinating about abstract art like mine is that it leaves room for different interpretations depending on who’s looking at it. I like that the meaning isn’t always so obvious or fixed.
After creating Mellow Schema Tarot, it’s been such an honor and a joy to have the opportunity to listen to individual stories and create artworks especially for each person. I’m deeply grateful that I can use my own artistic language, through colors, forms, brushstrokes, and the many layers of symbolism, to create something personal and meaningful. With each project, I try to approach the process with care and responsibility, bringing together everything I’ve learned and the sincere hope that the artwork might offer a little encouragement, comfort, or inspiration to the person receiving it.
By the way, Soul Mirror Portraits are now available in a larger A4 size (8.3 × 11.7 inches), alongside the original A5 format, for anyone who would love a bigger version of their personal artwork.
0 comments