In need of some guidance right now? Audie Murray is creating an entire tarot card deck by hand

In our self-shot video series COVID Residencies, we're checking out how artists are adapting their practices in isolation, whether it's diving into different processes or getting lost in their sketchbooks.

Tarot card readings have been trending throughout quarantine as people have been looking for direction and meaning during these times — and multidisciplinary Métis artist Audie Murray set out to create an entire tarot card deck.

"In times of distress and unknowing, I think people are really drawn to the idea of spiritualism, and I know I have been," she says.

Tarot cards have been around for centuries. Back in the 1400s, they were created initially as a card playing game and eventually transformed into a fortune-telling tool also known as cartomancy. While some people are sceptical about the accuracy of tarot readings, others believe it forces oneself to look within and honour one's feelings.

Murray resides in unceded Lekwungen territory (Victoria, B.C.) where she creates art in the garage of her home. She typically works with sculptural objects like beads, quilt and repurposed items, so drawing a tarot deck has been a detour out of her normal art practice. She usually makes one card per day, using her own natural pigments which give each card an earthy and warm aesthetic. 

Have you ever had a tarot card reading? Feeling scattered right now? Murray has found great comfort in it through this time. "During self-isolation, I have been pulling a tarot card in order to ground myself," she says. In this video, watch her card creation process come to life.

Find more of Murray's work here.

CBC Arts understands that this is an incredibly difficult time for artists and arts organizations across this country. We will do our best to provide valuable information, share inspiring stories of communities rising up and make us all feel as (virtually) connected as possible as we get through this together. If there's something you think we should be talking about, let us know by emailing us at cbcarts@cbc.ca. See more of our COVID-related coverage here.