The Light and Shadow Tarot [Cards]

Brian Williams (Author), Michael Goepferd (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1996

Drawing its inspiration from many spiritual traditions, including Celtic, Native American, East Indian, African, Medieval and Renaissance European, The Light and Shadow Tarot is an innovative collection of potent images and interpretations. The striking black-and-white images stress contrast and balance, resolution and completion, while remaining a strong and workable analogue to the traditional Tarot. Crafted with an enduring and haunting authority, this deck brings to light the shadow side of all of us, an essential part of the creative process that leads to growth, movement, and change. 

Brian Williams is the creator of the popular PoMo (Postmodern) Tarot, published by Harper San Francisco

The highly original block prints serve as both works of art and as an illuminating parallel to the accompanying text, which includes a detailed interpretation of each card. 

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Let me put it straight to you: you will do yourself a favor if you hurry up to get hold of a set before they are all gone; there is long between artistic tarot publications of this kind! For a practicing tarotist, this is a deck to gain insight from; for a tarot art collector it is a must."
(

Manteia

)

"I can't say enough good things about this deck, and I literally cannot say one bad thing. It simply breathes, with love and understanding, with humanity."
(

Illuminationtarot.com

)

"The large block prints are clear and easy to read, making this a good deck for colorblind or vision-impaired people. This boxed set differs enough from the average to make it a fine choice for intermediate and advanced students of tarot, and also for the collector. The size makes it a perfect traveling deck, too."
(ysabet, Hypatia's Hoard of Reviews, Oct 2009 )

About the Author

Illustrator: German-born Michael Goepferd studied with artist Jens Haas before founding the San Francisco-based Fire Thorn Studio. His block prints have been exhibited throughout the United States and Europe. Brian Williams created the Renaissance Tarot, the PoMo Tarot, and Angel Journey (with Terry Lynn Taylor and Mary Beth Crain). 

Product Details

• Cards: 208 pages
• Publisher: Destiny Books (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892815035
• ISBN-13: 978-0892815036
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4.6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #885,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, Strong, A deck that will become a classic!!, September 13, 2002

By 

El Brujo "Brujo Hechisero" (Lowell, Ma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Light and Shadow Tarot (Cards)

Okay, I do not understand how any one could give this deck a bad review; it makes no sense to me. With all due respect, I guess the individual does not understand the complicity of linoleum block, which is not the same as just drawing a deck, it is much more complex and difficult to work with. But with all that said, this deck is very strong in it's style. Yes this is a very big deck, but for one to truly appreciate the art within the cards, it needed to be this big. I strongly recommend this deck to the beginners as well as the advanced / or collectors. I am a reader and collector of tarots for many years, and I have used this deck, especially when teaching younger adults or pre-teens. I bought a few decks, and with my three daughters, (actually one is younger, and I got her the Hello Kitty Tarot) But I got a few of these decks, this past summer and every day we would color the deck with markers. As we did so we spoke on the meanings of the deck, or what a card meant to one of my daughters. Happily each Light and Shadow deck became beautifully unique and an art project that gave us much time to spend together. Also instead of studying the tarot alone, we made it a group project, and learned so much from one another.

For that alone I recommend this deck so much. You will have a deck all your own. I was saddened to learn that Michael Goepferd the artist of this deck, did not live to see his deck in print, and I hope he can see, that he has created a deck that will defiantly become a classic.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Meaningful, January 6, 2002

By 

Sarah Ovenall (Durham, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Light and Shadow Tarot (Cards)

The Light and Shadow Tarot is a marvelous example of an all-too-rare occurance: a deck that works on both the artistic and esoteric levels. These linoleum block prints by the late Michael Goepford were originally published in a limited edition as the Contrast Tarot. I feel lucky to have access to this deck, now including a book by Brian Williams (creator of the Renaissence Tarot, PoMo Tarot and Minchiate Tarot).
 
Goepford's art is superb. Tarot enthusiasts accustomed to decks that look like illustrations from a sword and sorcery novel will find Light and Shadow a pleasant change of pace. The cards show all the expressiveness associated with block prints, but are finely detailed, with delicate, clean lines. As is common with block prints, the cards are all black and white. Unusual for a Tarot deck, but fortunately the cards are well-printed with deep blacks. The effect is not one of cheapness but of rich, complex art.
 
The imagery on the cards keeps fairly close to tradition, though Goepford exercised some creative freedom in his interpretations. All the cards are richly illustrated with symbolic details; every corner of each card is filled with tiny details that add additional meaning.
 
The book accompanying Light and Shadow is as enjoyable as the deck. The book was written by Brian Williams, based on interviews with Goepford. It includes detailed interpretations in a lyrical style typical of Williams, and a short poem for each card. The book also includes a brief biography of the artist, with examples of his non-Tarot work.

Light and Shadow Tarot is my favorite deck, a highlight of my collection. To my mind this deck is the gold standard against which all black and white Tarot decks must be measured. I highly  recommend Light and Shadow Tarot as an art deck for collectors, to readers who want a fresh perspective on the Golden Dawn tradition, and for anyone interested in block print art.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning Tarot Deck, February 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Light and Shadow Tarot (Cards)

The L&S Tarot is a tour-de-force among tarot decks. I have 45 tarot decks, and this one is the one I come back to again and again. Michael Goepferd's linoprint art is simply amazing, and the images on the number cards are derived from the classic Rider-Waite and Thoth decks, with some original inventions as well. This deck goes far beyond any "Rider-Waite clone" - the pictures are intuitive and insightful, while the substantial book written by Brian Williams leads one gently through the cards. Another wonderful thing about this deck is that it lends itself to the reader coloring the cards. By coloring them one can dive even deeper into the symbolism, and personalize the deck for yourself.