A collaboration between photographer Stephanie Pehar and Kelly Burrow aka Candy A Warhol, “REFLECTION” is an ode to THE PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE as told through Tarot. Here are our stories…
The Two of Swords
The New Year is a time of reflection. It's a time to reflect on all we've been through. The highs and the lows. Our accomplishments and failures. The lessons learned. Time to reflect on years past, how far we've come and where the future has yet to lead us.
The Two of Swords depicts a young, blindfolded woman who holds a sword in each hand. She sits before a sea filled with rocks and crags that present obstacles to ships which need clear passage. The blindfold shows that the woman in this card is confused about her situation and that she can see neither the problem nor the solution clearly. The swords she holds are perfectly balanced, showing a balanced and stable mind, and that both sides of the situation need to be addressed. The crossed swords are also symbolic of the need for a truce and the Suit of Swords indicates that the problem at hand needs to be resolved using logic and intellect. The waxing moon to the right of the woman shows a new beginning arising out of the solutions found for this problem. (Source: biddytarot.com)
These past 3 years have been a serious time of transition and change. The Two of Swords is a card of choice and of the difficulty of making a decision. The woman in this card is blindfolded, and this may be intentionally so, indicating that she is avoiding making a very difficult decision.
KELLY: The Two of Swords is representative of probably one of the most difficult decisions I've ever had to make. One I had to make with a clear mind, reflecting inward, instead of leading with my heart which was pulling me in the opposite direction. I knew I had to walk away from a situation that was no longer healthy for me, and had to make that choice with the knowledge that there would be a very painful journey of real heartbreak on the other side. The Two of Swords reminded me that the tough decisions that we sometimes put off need to be made eventually, but there is so much strength and power in how you move forward after that.
STEPHANIE: About 3 years ago marks the time when I decided I needed to change my life. I had come to realize that somewhere along the way I had lost myself. Also, despite being married, I felt an incredible loneliness and emptiness. I knew the path I was on wasn't going to get me where I needed to be and it was time to begin a journey of self discovery. I felt like I was living as a passenger as opposed to a driver in the car of my own life…. It was time to learn how to drive. So I decided to end my marriage which was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. My husband was my best friend, my family. However, deep down I knew that we both had new chapters awaiting us and it was the right thing to do.
The Magician
The Magician is associated with the planet, Mercury and carries with it skill, logic, and intellect. The number of the Magician is one, the number of beginnings. The Magician is the bridge between the world of the spirit and the world of humanity. His right hand holds a staff raised toward the sky and his left hand points to the earth. He takes the power of the Universe and channels it through his own body and directs it to the physical plane. Above the Magician's head is the symbol of eternity and around his waist is a snake biting its own tail, another symbol of eternity. His magical table holds all four suits of the Tarot, each of which represents one of the four primordial elements of the alchemists – earth, air, fire and water. These symbolise the appropriate use of mind, heart, body and soul in the process of manifestation. The Magician's robe is white, symbolising the purity and innocence found in the Fool but his cloak is red, representing worldly experience and knowledge. In the bed of flowers at his feet this duality is repeated in the mix of pure white lilies and thorny red roses. (Source: biddytarot.com)
KELLY: The Magician, for me, is the embodiment of a fresh start or a transformation. This was the time to channel all of my strengths, ideas and dreams to forge a new path for myself. This was the time to start utilizing all of the resources I had within me to accomplish my goals. To look inward to creatively solve problems and move past obstacles. This was the time to focus my energy on the projects that brought me the most amount of happiness and disregard the rest. During this transformative time, I worked hard to develop my skills in photography, learned how to play the guitar, built costumes and props and even joined a band!
STEPHANIE: Now on my own at the beginning of this fresh new chapter, I remember there being times when I had never felt so lost and scared. I sought guidance from a Tarot reader who told me that she felt the reason I was there was so she could remind me to get in touch with my intuition. I had to learn to trust my feelings and start living life as my true authentic self. How to fill the emptiness? I needed to start uncovering the layers of myself that I had been repressing since childhood. I critically needed to work on myself and nourish my creativity. I needed to start bringing what's inside of me, out into the physical world. I had to start taking more chances. So this is what I did! I discovered MBTI and aspects about my personality which helped put a lot of my struggles into perspective. I pushed myself artistically, socially and even had the unexpected and amazing opportunity to travel across the world to Europe for the first time. I truly learned so much from all of the people I met.
The Empress
The Empress sits on a throne wearing a starry crown, holding a scepter in one hand. The scepter is representative of her power over life, her crown has twelve stars representing her dominance over the year, and her throne is in the midst of a field of grain, representative of her dominion over growing things. The Empress is representative of the productivity of the subconscious, seeded by ideas. She is meant to be the embodiment of the growth of the natural world, fertility, and what one knows or believes from the heart. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Empress shows a deep connection with our femininity. Femininity translates in many ways – beauty, sensuality, fertility, creative expression, nurturing – and is necessary in creating balance in both men and women. The Empress calls on you to connect with your feminine energy. Create beauty in your life. Get in touch with your sensuality through taste, touch, sound, smell and sight. Draw on these senses to experience pleasure and deep fulfilment. (Source: biddytarot.com)
KELLY: As I approach a new decade of my life, The Empress card helps to remind me to embrace my femininity, stay connected to my creative expression and to be kind to myself. To slow down, stay grounded in what's important to me and be thankful for everything this life has given me. It's a reminder of how incredibly lucky I am to have so many amazing women in my life that I can learn from and be inspired by. This card represents all of the qualities that I hope to embody as a woman, a friend, a sister, a partner and perhaps one day, a mother.
STEPHANIE: Going forward, I plan to heed the call of the Empress and connect with my feminine energy. I want to continue nourishing my creative endeavors and bring what's been stirring inside of me out into the world. I feel like I've been in a cocoon while a transformation has been taking place. It might be time to break free and show the world my colors? I'm also incredibly appreciative of all the amazing people I've met along my journey so far… those that I've been able to create such beauty with and those that have been there to support me along the way. I hope to continue nurturing these connections, as well as welcome new ones into my life. I'm excited to see what unfolds over the next year!
A very special thank you again to Kelly for approaching me with this concept. You have such inspiring talent and a kind soul! Credit goes to Kelly for creating most of the props from scratch, makeup and styling! Thanks also to Troy Franklin for lending your help and support.
The elements challenged us… almost losing my light in the lake, dripping sweat on the hottest day ever while lugging tables and chairs and all our gear across a field and then waiting patiently till the light was just right and then fleeing from mosquitoes at the end – but it was all worth it and I couldn't be happier with the result. I look forward to more creative adventures this year!
