Interview with Joseph Stretch of The Stretch Tarot

Hello Doll Babes!

I was fortunate enough to recently interview Joseph Stretch, the creator and mastermind behind The Stretch Tarot. The Stretch Tarot has quickly become one of my favorite decks, and it is no big surprise why! It was thoughtfully created and it is deeply inspiring. It is also gorgeous, which is always a plus!

If you are interested in purchasing this deck, you may do so here.

Without further ado, here is my interview with Joseph Stretch:

When did you receive your first deck and what enchanted about that Tarot system in the beginning?

I think I was about 13 when I first found out about tarot. I was just starting to get interested in spirituality and I was instantly fascinated by the tarot when I read about it. I decided that I wanted to buy a deck, and funnily I started to see them everywhere – in bookshops, at boot sales, on TV... There were many opportunities for me to get my hands on a deck, but I was fixed on buying the Rider Waite as my first and so any other I came across didn’t feel right for me. One day I was even in WHSmith and I saw a copy of the Rider Waite sitting out of place on a shelf, but it still didn’t feel right. In the end, my first deck was a second-hand copy of the Rider Waite off of Ebay that I believe is from the 80's, and I absolutely love it. I came to learn that I broke two superstitions; they say a deck should be gifted to you, and never second-hand, but it feels just right to me!

What I found enchanting about the tarot was that it was so mysterious at first. I saw it as something so complex and intimidating that I thought I'd never understand it. And while I don't understand it fully still, I'm gradually figuring it out card by card. Making my own deck was a really significant process in building my relationship with the tarot.

What inspired you to create your own deck?

The idea came to me from other independent decks I had seen. The Silent Tarot and The Antiquarian Lenormand were massive influences on me. I decided that if other people can do it, I can do it, and so I gave it a go!

I fell in love with the aesthetic of this deck! What were some of your inspirations for the artwork?

As mentioned, the style of the The Silent Tarot and The Antiquarian Lenormand were very influential; I love the vintage scrapbook style. The thing about The Stretch Tarot is that I put very little thought or planning into the style when I started, and over the course of making the artwork my intentions changed considerably. At first I wanted it to be a very light deck so as not to frighten people away from tarot, but then I decided that I wanted it to be quite dark because that's the type of thing that appeals to me. I love all things gothic, spiritualist and Victorian.

What has this creative process taught you about yourself? How has it changed your relationship with the Tarot?

Wow, making the deck has taught me so much! It has proved to me that I am capable of completing a long term project (this took me nearly two years). It had made me feel more comfortable about expressing my interest in tarot; I've only been met with positive reactions and have realized that it's actually quite a common interest. It’s been a way for me to connect with people, whether it be online, in doing practice readings, or just as a conversation starter. It’s changed my relationship with the tarot considerably. I regard the artwork of other people's decks far more highly knowing what goes into it now. I feel much more connected to the meaning of each card.

Which card is your favorite and why?

In my deck, my favorite card is without question Judgment. I'm very proud of the approach I took using a butterfly to symbolize transformation. It is very simple and evocative, and I think suits what little of a theme there is very well.

In general, I think in a funny way my favorite card is the 9 of Swords. It's one that came up far too often for me when I first started, but gradually it has slipped away. Whenever I see it now I think about how anxious I used to be, and am thankful for how far I have grown in confidence. I also love the Queen of Swords, because I just have this image of her as a silver screen femme fatale, and I think that's brilliant. I’d love to represent her as such if I ever make another deck!

Who are your tarot inspirations? Is there anyone in the community who has influenced and supported you through this process?

I only discovered the tarot 'community' once I started making the deck, and throughout the process I've been more of an observer and not really got involved. I followed a lot of tarot blogs on Tumblr who I found to be inspiring, and for support I have to thank everyone who backed the deck on Kickstarter! They seemed to be fantastic bunch of people and I received many wonderful messages from them which really motivated me in the final stages of the project. My biggest inspiration tarot inspiration in general would have to be Pamela Colman Smith for her work on the Rider Waite; I'm one of those people who really love the Rider deck.

What role does tarot play in your spirituality or your worldview?

I suppose I use the tarot for meditation. I like to draw a card in the morning and set about my day, reflecting on the messages it brings. I find that this practice helps to strengthen intuition and make you more spiritually awakened, at least, that's how I feel since starting to use the tarot in this way. I rarely do traditional readings as I do not feel very confident doing so, and feel that I personally get better results with one-card draws. I would like to build my confidence reading for others, and I would love to offer online readings in the future!

The Magician is one of my favorite cards in the Tarot, so I was thrilled to see that you included two in your deck! Why did you make this creative choice? What is the inspiration behind each design?

The second Magician card was included as an alternative design, and was added as a bonus for exceeding the project's goal on Kickstarter. The alternative Magician card is less traditional, and the design of the card stems from my own interest in the narrative of the Major Arcana. I interpret the Fool as the novice tarot reader, and, by contrast, the Magician as the master. At one time, I planned on renaming the card ‘The Cartomancer’, the fortune teller. Being the first card the Fool encounters, she offers him an invitation to begin to learn her art. The text reads:

Twenty-two arcana, steps of a path,

Figures there for you to unmask.

Fifty-six lesser carry wisdom and creed,

Numbers of cards to learn how to read.

The ‘twenty-two arcana’ relates to the Major Arcana, which, once again, I liken to ‘steps of a path’ in reference to the Fool’s journey. The Magician invites the Fool to ‘unmask’ the ‘figures’/cards he will encounter, and thereby understand their meaning. The ‘fifty-six lesser’ regards the Minor Arcana, and, plainly put, the ‘numbers of cards to learn how to read.’

I love that your deck is very diverse! I don’t know if you are familiar with Kelly-Ann Maddox, but she had created the #TarotSoWhite hashtag. A lot of people in the tarot community have complained about the lack of diversity in the tarot. You have included many different ages, races, ethnicities and you have gerderbent some of the classic cards. I really appreciate that and I know other tarot people will as well! What was your experience with this part of creating your deck?

Early on in the project, someone messaged me anonymously on Tumblr requesting that I include a more diverse cast of characters. At that stage I had included a couple of POC, but I hadn't consciously set about making the deck diverse, which I think says a lot about how ingrained the white 'standard' is. I do believe that representation in art and the media is very important, and so why not the tarot? After all, tarot is supposed to be a means to reflect on our lives, so it makes sense that it should be a true reflection of it. The Stretch Tarot is not the most diverse deck in existence, but it does offer some diversity compared to the majority of decks out there at the moment. Due to the style of the deck, it was challenging finding vintage pictures that both depicted POC and the symbolism needed for the card, given which I am proud of the final result!

Are there any new projects on the horizon that we can be looking forward to from you?

At the moment I am working on a guidebook for The Stretch Tarot! It is in collaboration with Robert Scott of Arcana Advising, and it will be called Art of the Arcana: A Guide to the Stretch Tarot.

I most certainly plan on making more decks in the future! I have so many ideas I don’t know where to begin! I would love to make a Lenormand deck soon as this presents many new challenges compared to the tarot, because you have to consider how the cards work together in larger spreads. It would be fun to try and translate the style of The Stretch Tarot to a Lenormand, and it would also be an opportunity for me to learn more about the system which I find very fun and interesting.

Lastly, what is one piece of advice you have for others who want to birth their creative vision into the world?

I highly encourage others to create their own work, be it tarot or anything else. Like I said before, if other people can do it, why can't you? Never be put off by how long something may take, as that time will pass anyway. Most importantly, never compare yourself to others, and do not be too self-critical. What you have to offer is unique and wonderful in its own way, and even if you cannot see that, others will!