The RainShadow Tarot – A Prism of Guidance Through Sunlight and Storm
In The RainShadow Tarot, artist Claire Mack combines the familiar symbolism of the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition with her distinctive handmade collage art. The deck invites you to see light and shadow not simply as opposites, but as two sides that can come together to offer a fuller picture.
The meaning of the rain shadow
The name refers to the rain shadow effect, which occurs when a mountain range blocks moist air. One side of the mountains may be green and lush, while the other is dry and almost desert-like. This natural contrast inspires the deck and its exploration of opposing forces.
Handmade collage artwork
Claire Mack creates the images using her own paintings, mixed media and hand-cut collage. Her materials include pages from second-hand books and library book sales, vintage prints and decorative papers. The result is a layered visual world in which different materials and moods come together.
Making room for both sides
Rather than assigning separate meanings to reversed cards, The RainShadow Tarot focuses on duality. Light and shadow, growth and stillness, certainty and doubt do not have to cancel each other out. Considering both sides can open the way to a more nuanced reading of the cards and the situation at hand.
The accompanying guidebook
Co-written by Autumn Hesse, the guidebook offers brief keywords and concepts to point readers towards the traditional meanings of the cards. It provides a starting point while leaving room for personal interpretation.
“Living in Alaska opened my heart and eyes to pantheism. We are all one, and an ever-changing manifestation. I’m honored to be here; what a gift it is.”
About the creators
Claire Mack is a painter and mixed-media artist based on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. Her work is inspired by nature, esoteric wisdom, spirituality and philosophy. She first encountered tarot as a teenager through the Aquarian Tarot and began creating divination decks in 2016.
Autumn Hesse contributed to the writing of the guidebook. She began studying tarot at an early age with guidance from her aunties and mother. Her reflections on connection and the natural world inform her contribution to the guide.
Specifications
- Artist: Claire Mack
- Guidebook co-writer: Autumn Hesse
- Cards: 78
- Guidebook: 112 pages, full colour
- Language: English
- Finish: Gold foil on the box cover
- Box dimensions: 90.5 × 140.5 × 44 mm
- Publisher: Blue Angel Publishing
- ISBN: 9781922574770
Frequently asked question
Does this deck use reversed cards?
No. The deck explores duality and the different sides of a situation rather than assigning separate meanings to reversed cards.
