Tarot cards in ASL
Have you ever used tarot cards before?
A Deaf artist from Rochester, Dylan Panarra, created a complete 78-card ASL Tarot deck. Check it out!
[Images showing ASL tarot cards]
He launched a Kickstarter to fundraise and sell preorders for the ASL Tarot cards two weeks ago and it has already reached past triple of its $5,000 goal and it’s about $18,000 now.
[Image showing ASL Tarot Kickstarter with $19,170 raised of a $5,000 goal]
I was able to interview him — here it is.
ALEX:
I’ve never used tarot cards, but I have seen it in popular culture references. Can you explain how you got into tarot cards and what kind of impact and influence it’s had on your life?
DYLAN PANARRA
Tarot cards have been used for over 400 years. I use it for advice on things like jobs, relationships, journeys, or the like. It is a resource to help you connect to the self, to others, and your higher self. That’s how I use the cards, it’s my experience. There are a lot of different approaches, methods, decks, and books where you can learn about tarot. For example, if I have a personal situation that I’m not sure on what to do — if I want to see what happens next, I go ahead and use the deck and place several cards on the table, read them, and analyze it. It will lead me on what to do next. It’s cool!
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THE DAILY MOTH:
Can you explain how you created the 78 images and you said you included diversity and LGBTQ elements in it. Can you expand on that?
DYLAN PANARRA
One day I was just thinking and it came to me that there was no ASL or deaf tarot cards. I got my iPad and started drawing for fun. I’ve always been an artist and I studied design at RIT and graduated. I took pictures of myself signing for references and to incorporate ASL in it and the project just grew and I realized this could become a full deck. I wanted to make sure that I acknowledge the full diversity, different identities, and intersectionality within the deaf community. As a privileged white deaf cisgendered male, I knew I wanted to include representation in my cards. So I incorporated a variety of skin colors, LGBTQ+ symbols like pride colors and gender neutral characters.
THE DAILY MOTH:
On your Kickstarter page, you said your partner Allie told you that the universe had good vibes that came to us and that we could send them out as well. Can you expand on that?
DYLAN PANARRA
Yes, Allie is the one who helped me to get into tarot cards. She also helped me with a lot of creative decisions and ideas with the deck. She is a big part of the journey. Our concept of vibes is that the energy that you put out in the universe is what comes back. So if you focus on love and light within yourself, then everything will flow and be connected. This also applies to tarot.
THE DAILY MOTH:
Thank you, Dylan, for your time, and I understand the idea of tarot cards better. If you want to buy the cards or support the Kickstarter campaign, the link is in the transcript.
KICKSTARTER: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/asltarot/the-asl-tarot