The Little Sister Tarot is a tribute to the cycle of life, what we gain from that cycle, and the heartbreak of loss. It is a deck about rebirth, illustrated by an artist who descends from a legacy of artists and art professors, and paints from the rugged north coast of California.

Ginny Thonson is a little sister. She lost her big brother to leukemia and later, her big sister to a tragic accident. Their spirits accompany her always, though, and so she perpetually embodies that role of the little sister.

The RWS-based deck follows the narrative of Eden Gray’s The Fool’s Journey, though here The Fool is represented by the little sister. We follow her journey, documented through encounters with wise spirit guides and vignettes of her life experiences.

The Fool here is naive yet fearless in the face of the challenges that lie ahead in her journey. She is not motivated by materialism, but rather, is lifted by her innocence and playful nature.

There is a lot of restructuring of traditional RWS symbols to personalize the interpretation, case in point the Wheel of Fortune. I’m really loving this Wheel of Fortune card.  There are so many interpretative approaches from Thonson that I’m loving. Her voice and point of view come through in a deeply moving way.

Each painting was done in ink and acrylics. I’d categorize the style of these paintings as New American with strong Pacific Coast influences. Each card illustration could be a mural. The settings reflect California eco-regions, where you’ll see desert-like backgrounds, mountains, the Central Valley grasslands, and the coasts. There were times I was even getting an American Southwest feel.

Sometimes the detailing seem to be petroglyph inspired. Always, Thonson’s paintings tug at your heartstrings. They read beautifully, providing intuitively grounded, stabilizing, and level-minded guidance. These cards would be the perfect companion for journaling or visual-aided meditation therapies.

I’m also getting a Frida Kahlo inspiration from Thonson’s art, where there is that folk art aesthetic. That both Kahlo’s and Thonson’s paintings are birthed from experiences of pain isn’t lost on the viewer. I love Thonson’s use of bold, vivid colors, a more flattened perspective, and evocative of dream-like visions.

I did find it interesting that the product description put out by Thonson self-identifies her compositions as feminine, and she acknowledges that she focuses primarily on depicting the feminine presenting figure.

However, had she not mentioned that, I’m not sure I would have noticed. Sure, yes, physically if you’re looking for it, you’ll notice an absence of masculine figures. And yet the deck overall feels gender neutral. It never gives off the impression of being gender-imbalanced.

Design and production-wise, Thonson’s choices are phenomenal (and of course they are; there’s graphic design talent in her DNA). The margins and framing of each illustration is balanced. I love the colors she went with.

I love the blue edging– color therapy for healing. The seamless card back design hearkens back to the blanket design in the Nine of Swords. This deck is the antidote for anyone experiencing the Nine of Swords.

Although I cannot articulate any rational reason for why The Little Sister Tarot is well-suited for those working through grief and loss, it just is. The energy of this deck is like the exact kind of understanding, non-judgmental, compassionate, and embracing hug you need. A warmth is emitted from the qi that Ginny Thonson has infused her work with and you can feel it emanating from the art.

The only thing to quibble over is the matte finish. This has that matte finish that almost veers into rose petal texture, which makes the cards difficult to shuffle. Out of the box, they stick to each other a bit. There were a few times I thought I might be missing cards, only to realize they were just stuck to each other. However, nothing a little homemade powder of cornstarch and baking soda won’t fix. =)

In a saturated marketplace of highly-stylized, technically-savvy, and digitally manipulated art, The Little Sister Tarot is a much-needed breath of fresh air. This is the artist’s tarot deck, meaning I see this tarot deck being one that will appeal to artists, painters, and poets. There is a distinct style to Thonson’s art, a consistent tone of voice that is curious, nurturing, and pure of heart.

Ginny Thonson’s The Little Sister Tarot will easily be one of the beloveds in your collection. It’s the deck you’ll keep close to your self-reflection journal, and the deck to reach for when you need gentle, emotionally supportive guidance.

Buy the Little Sister Tarot

FTC Disclosure: In accordance with Title 16 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 255, “Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising,” I received this deck from the artist for prospective review. Everything I’ve said here is sincere and accurately reflects my opinion of the deck.